Absolution
by Bforqueen
Summary: Will Felix be able to find love amongst the ruins and find the absolution he seeks? Companion to Fallen Princess.
1. Promises

**A/N**** – This is a companion to the story Fallen Princess and will probably not make sense without reading that first. That being said, I'm happy you all are reading this! I honestly felt that Felix had some major unresolved issues, and I wanted to give him a happy ending more than anything. This first chapters goes through the first five of Fallen Princess. **

**This story has a banner made my the wonderfully talented SusanAshlea. Author of Finding Forever and it's beautiful companion story She Holds a Key. You should all read it, I say so.**

**Banner link: **http: (double slash )i46 (dot) tinypic (dot) com (slash) 23hrprc (dot) jpg

**An incredible shout out to my Beta-rockstar Jkane180, I lubs you but you know that.**

**Also special thanks to Tazz0617 for her continued support and Megsly and SusanAshlea for prereading.**

I clearly remember the day she was born; it was spring, as it is now. The woman who had been selected as the carrier for the experiment was handpicked by Caius himself. He travelled everywhere, only to actually find her right on our doorstep. He first spotted her at a little chapel, just outside of the city centre, where she was about to become the wife of a local farmer. He'd immediately sent for me and Demetri to observe her. She was beautiful in her wedding dress; a simple gown that flowed softly down her body, hugging her curvaceous figure. Her hair was long and black, falling softly down her shoulders, and her eyes were a stunning emerald green. She smiled the entire time; it made her look radiant, like a dark-haired angel.

Caius was happy when we reported back to him, and he instructed us to snatch her the next night. I never showed my hesitation at his order; when the elders commanded you, you simply obeyed. Yet it was with a heavy heart that I invaded her bedroom that night. Her new husband screamed at the monsters that came to collect his wife, but it was no use. Demetri silenced him with a sickening snap of his neck as she cried in horror. She begged me to kill her with him, but we were under strict orders; she was to come to the castle alive.

I felt sick to my stomach when Caius approached her on our return; the lust was evident in his eyes. As he took her away to the chamber that would hold her until she gave birth, she looked at me with pleading eyes. I looked away cowardly; I couldn't help her. Caius conceived on the first try; it was a small mercy but I was thankful nonetheless. I tried to avoid going in the room where she was being held, and I succeeded for a full three weeks. It was when Caius gave me a direct order to bring the woman the blood she had been living off that I knew I could no longer escape facing her. She was sitting on her bed, propped up against the pillows, and she startled when I made my way in.

"You," she whispered as she looked at me with accusation in her eyes.

"You should have killed me."

I cringed at her words and the anger in her tone.

"I'm sorry," I replied, though it didn't seem enough. I didn't know how to express the guilt I felt over what I had been forced to do to her.

Her hands moved over her enlarged belly in a protective manner. I walked over to her and handed her the blood. She cringed.

"What kind of monster have you turned me into that I crave this?"

I just stared at the ground, unable to look at her or answer her. I heard her drink the blood with slow gulps. The scent of it assailed my senses, making me realize I hadn't fed in a while. Swallowing the venom that pooled in my mouth, I finally dared a glance in her direction and found her staring at me.

"You're different from the others," she stated, "I see remorse in your eyes." She handed me the empty cup, and I stood up from my place on her bed. As I turned to leave she grabbed my wrist with surprising force.

"Take care of my baby," she pleaded with tears in her eyes. "Promise me."

I looked at her, unable to speak. When I remained silent she continued.

"I know my fate; I will die. This baby is too strong for me. I will be with my love soon. I need someone here to look after my child. Please, I beg you." The tears were flowing down her cheeks now as she frantically held on to me.

"Promise me," she whispered urgently.

I had no other choice; my dead heart bled for the woman in front of me.

"I promise I will do whatever it takes to protect your child," I spoke.

She released my wrist and fell back down into the pillows. Her expression was peaceful now.

"Thank you," she said, "Please leave me now."

A little over a week later, Luciana was born. She didn't even cry upon entering the world; she just opened her eyes, which were just like her mother's, and looked around curiously. Caius walked away seething when he saw that his heir was not the son he'd hoped for; in his infinite arrogance, he'd never once considered that possibility. Aro put her in Jane's care, a decision I questioned but had no choice but to accept. I tried my best to keep my promise to her mother but failed again and again. Growing up among monsters meant she saw things that no little girl should ever have to see. When she went into shock after Caius had made her witness a feeding, believing it would spur her bloodlust, it was me who was by her side for two days. I watched over her trembling little body as she slept, and I woke her when she cried out in her nightmares. It was the arrival of Demetri however, that made her snap out of it. All he had to do was walk in the door, flash her a smile, and she ran into his arms to let him comfort her. It stung me, the way he was with Lucy, and the way she seemed so drawn to him. I guess it was just the way he handled her; he had a flair for making even the most mundane things fun.

As she grew older, Caius made her sit through hours and hours of lessons with all of us. I was responsible for teaching her about the history of our kind, a subject she took great interest in. It was not uncommon that she stayed well over the time limit her father had set for the lessons as she asked me question after question. She was smart and impressed me many times with her insightful opinions and intriguing questions. When we started on the subject of the Cullen hybrid Renesmee, she hung on my every word. I patiently answered all her questions and told her everything I knew. The knowledge that she was not the only one of her kind seemed important to her. I knew she felt like she didn't fit in most of the time - a feeling only enhanced by her father who pointed out her differences any time he could. I cringed every time I saw her try to gain her father's affection, only to be turned away. Caius didn't love his daughter, and he never would. She was nothing more to him than an experiment that had gone wrong. He couldn't wait for the day when she was old enough to look after herself, and he could try again.

As soon as she was physically old enough, she started training with Demetri. He was a skilled fighter; not a brute strength like me, but stealthy and swift. She blossomed during those days, thriving on the hours spent in his company. For the longest, time it was nothing more than a younger sister looking up to an older brother, but somewhere along the line, things changed. I realized her fondness of him had turned into a crush long before Demetri did, and I felt the need to call him on it. He only laughed when I told him, stating she would soon become old enough to make those kinds of decisions on her own. I knew it was no use; it would only be a matter of time before he would take advantage of the situation. She was almost grown now and every bit as beautiful as her mother had been. As her birthday approached, my eyes found her more than they should. I started wondering what it would be like to touch the curves of her now womanly body. I kept telling myself it was just lust that I felt, and that it was only natural, but deep down, I knew there was more. She was special to me, even if I didn't realize it then.

When Demetri came to me on the day of her birthday and boasted about what had happened during their training session, it hurt me more than I would even admit to myself. It took me great effort not to show it as he recounted every detail of their encounter. Instead, I smiled and clapped him on the shoulder in brotherly support. I would have given everything to be in his place, to have her look at me that way. Demetri and I had always made quite the sport of conquering women; it had become a competition to see who could bed the most. We were fairly equal in that aspect; where I relied on my strong physique, Demetri drew them in with words, but either way, we always got what we wanted in the end. Now he was ahead of me however, as he had the one girl that I would give anything for. I knew it wasn't right, especially considering the promise I had made to her mother, but I decided to make work of pursuing her.

She was a vision in red when she entered the Royal room; she truly looked like a grown woman as she made her way over to Aro. He placated her with his sickly sweet smile before grabbing her hand to invade her mind. I saw her colour drain as she realized he was about to be part of her most intimate memories. Demetri stiffened as he too understood that within moments the elders would know what he'd done. I watched Aro's smile falter as he processed the information from Lucy's mind, and when he released her, he mumbled, "Interesting," before shifting his eyes towards Demetri. He shrugged at the elder, trying to look apologetic. Caius looked between the two and stepped forward.

"What's going on?"

Aro turned and faced him.

"It seems your daughter did a lot of growing up today."

I couldn't believe Aro was actually going to put this out there. Caius looked confused.

"What are you talking about? What happened, Aro?"

"Caius, it seems your Luciana has truly become a woman."

I could clearly see Lucy's embarrassment at the whole situation, and I couldn't help but cast an angry glare at Demetri. He raised his eyebrows at me as if to dare me to speak up.

Athenodora spoke in a hiss, "Just like her mother."

Her obvious hatred for Lucy cut right through the girl; that much was obvious. I'd never cared much for Athenodora; she was a vain and arrogant woman who took great pride in being the wife of one so influential. Their relationship had deteriorated with the arrival of Lucy. She'd never forgiven Caius for that one night he'd spent with Lucy's mother. Most of the time, she acted as if the girl didn't exist, and if she did acknowledge her, it was only to make her feel completely inferior. It should be no surprise that my dislike for her had grown exponentially over the last few years.

"What? You did what?"

Caius approached his daughter menacingly. I watched her cower in fear.

"Look at me, Luciana!"

She trembled as she looked up at him.

"Who?" Caius spat at his daughter.

"I...I..." She stumbled on her words, clearly uncomfortable.

Getting nothing from Lucy, Caius instead turned to Aro.

"Who?" he demanded again.

"It would seem Luciana has a little crush on Demetri."

Caius turned to the man next to me, and his eyes flashed with anger. Demetri, who was not one to be easily scared, now raised his hands in front of him, taking a defensive stance.

"You? You defiled my daughter?"

I was shocked to see him actually approach Demetri and wondered why he cared so much. It couldn't be because he actually felt bad for her. My guess would be that he was afraid that it would damage his reputation if his daughter slept with one of the guards. I also knew he had bigger plans for her.

"It wasn't like that; she offered; I accepted. I mean, she _is_ all grown up now. She came on pretty strong, and I admit I was too weak to resist. My apologies if it offends you, Master."

As he spoke, I watched Lucy's face fall and contort in pain, and I realized that his words had hurt her deeply. I made a mental promise to treat her better; I would never make her feel like this.

Caius contemplated Demetri for another second before turning around to his daughter again.

"After tonight, I am done with you. Do what you will; I no longer care."

Tears fell down her cheeks as she looked at him.

"Father, please..." My silent heart jumped as her voice broke. She reached out to him, but Caius just pushed her away. The rejection hit her hard ; I could tell.

"Fix your face. We're taking you out there and giving you to the world. After tonight, you're no longer _my_ problem."

She wiped the tears from her face while everyone made their way to the door.

"Well, that went okay," Demetri whispered to me. I didn't answer. I felt so angry at all of them: at Aro for sharing her private thoughts, at Caius for hurting his daughter like that, at Demetri for taking advantage of her, and yes, I was even angry at Lucy herself. I was angry that she gave herself up so easily, allowing herself to be hurt like that. I glanced back at her every now and again while we walked to the ballroom, but she kept her gaze firmly fixed on the floor the entire way.

Once all the formalities were over, and the festivities were in full swing, Demetri and I retreated to a corner and scanned the room. Every now and again, I cast a glance her way, feeling annoyed at the way she was being passed from man to man. Demetri quickly found a human girl to his liking; he was planning on feeding tonight. Normally this would not be allowed within the city limits, but the elders had made an exception for tonight and had called in some humans especially for this occasion. None of them caught my eye though; there was only one girl I wanted tonight, and right at that very moment, she was finally alone, standing in the shadows in a corner on the opposite side of the room. I made my way over quietly, noticing that she was leaning into the wall with her eyes closed; she looked upset, and I wondered what was wrong. I caught her scent as I stepped closer - lilacs and lilies; she smelled so enticing. I stopped for a second to savour it before I approached her. She was breathing heavily as if to keep herself from crying. Eventually, she seemed to calm down, and she opened her eyes to find mine.

"Are you okay, Lucy?"

I put my hand on her shoulder and revelled in the heat that radiated from her bare skin. She sighed deeply.

"I'm fine, Felix. It's just been a long day."

I smiled knowingly at her in an attempt to be flirtatious.

"Yes, I heard. Loads of new impressions today, huh?"

I winked at her and watched her cheeks flush. Venom pooled in my mouth as the sudden rush of her blood enhanced her seductive scent.

"Listen, Felix, I don't feel so good right now. I think I'm going to step outside for a moment, if that's okay."

She tried to walk away, but I couldn't let her; not yet. I put one hand up against the wall right beside her face before leaning in and caressing her cheek with the other.

"Demetri tells me everything, you know. He said you were delicious."

She shivered under my touch as she looked at me anxiously. I knew I was probably overstepping a boundary, but I found I didn't care so much; I was intoxicated by her scent as it pulled me in closer.

"If you ever want to try that with someone else, let me know. I'll make you feel things Demetri never could."

I couldn't help but lean in and brush my nose against her jaw line. My head started spinning as her concentrated essence assaulted my senses.

"Mmm…you do smell ever so sweet. I can't wait to taste you myself."

It took me great effort to pull myself away from her, but I succeeded. I gave her one last wink and laughed as I turned to rejoin the crowd. I hoped I gave her something to consider. At least she knew she had options now.

I made my rounds across the room, ignoring the admiring stares some of the women cast my way. A few of them tried to make advances towards me, but I easily turned them down even though I was ready to feed. I held high hopes that Lucy would come to me, and I didn't want to risk her finding me with someone else. My desire for her far surpassed my need for blood right now.

Aro beckoned me over, and I made my way towards him, wondering what he could want. I sincerely hoped he wouldn't want me to share my mind as I wasn't ready to show my affection for Lucy to him. I was relieved when he ushered me into a quiet part of the room without touching me.

"We leave tomorrow, Felix. It's time."

I looked at him, stunned. I knew this moment was coming, and I understood it would be soon, but I had not expected it to be as soon as tomorrow.

"Have you found suitable candidates?"

"Yes, I am pleased to say Santiago has done a great job. He's holding them as we speak. I myself cannot wait to meet them." He smiled widely at me, and I smiled anxiously back. This assignment had never sat well with me to begin with, but now it held even less appeal than before.

"Do you really need me, Master?"

Aro narrowed his eyes at me, and I realized I had just made a grave error with my question. Without even waiting for him to ask, I raised my hand so he could take it. He accepted greedily, and I watched him as he sifted through my thoughts. At last, he released my hand and sighed.

"I see," he nodded. "You realize her affections lie elsewhere?"

"Yes, but I have hope that might change soon."

Aro smiled before responding.

"That may be true, but that should not affect your loyalty to the cause. You'll be leaving with us tomorrow, as will Demetri."

He turned then, not awaiting a response, and I knew there was no point in arguing. We would be leaving in the morning, no matter how I felt about it.

"Your first failure wasn't enough? Now you want to take another concubine and raise her spawn?"

Athenodora's sharp voice caught my attention, and I looked up to see she was in front of Caius. Her face was furious as she stared him down.

"Why do you insist on doing this, Caius? Am I not enough? You would have me idly sitting by while you take woman after woman, defiling all the promises we made to each other so long ago? I will not do it! If you leave tomorrow, there will be consequences; be sure of that." I watched, entranced, as Aro stepped between them.

"You will hush, Athenodora. You know that we're doing this for the greater good. Just think of the possibilities."

"Screw the greater good; I'm done with this," she hissed at him before turning sharply and storming out of the room. Aro grabbed Caius and dragged him along into a dark corner where they began whispering frantically. I tried to listen in on what they were saying for a while, but I couldn't make it out, so eventually, I gave up and started scanning the room again.

My heart sped as I found her leaning into a wall on the other side. She stood rigid, and my eyes drifted past her to see what she was so focused on. I grimaced when I caught sight of Demetri and his human conquest, who was now dead in his arms. Lucy jerked and turned around in an ungraceful manner that was very unlike her. As I watched her stumble across the room, I realized she must have been drinking. Her eyes searched the room until she locked her gaze on me, and to my surprise, she immediately started making her way towards me with a determined look on her face. I smiled at her encouragingly as she got closer. When she finally reached me, I looked down at her.

"Changed your mind, Princess?"

She nodded before uttering the words I had been dying to hear all night.

"Let's go."

She giggled as I quickly carried her to her room; the sound of it echoed off the ancient castle walls.

"Eager, are we?" she said while she ran a finger over my chest. I couldn't help but smirk at her as I used my right foot to kick her door open. I carried her to her bed at inhuman speed and practically threw her down on the mattress. She watched me as I wasted no time taking off my clothes. Her eyes roamed my naked body, and I nearly came undone when they lingered on my erection, her teeth sinking hard into her bottom lip.

I slowly crawled up the bed and lay myself down beside her. My hand roamed over the silk of her dress, following her curves to where the fabric ended and the soft skin of her breasts began. I ran the tip of my index finger over the swell that curved over the top of her dress, and I itched to explore them further. However, before I could act on that, she moved to the edge of the bed and stood up. My cock twitched almost painfully when she curled her finger seductively, beckoning me to her.

"Come here and help me get out of this dress."

Wasting no time, I moved towards the edge and sat up, pulling her closer to me. Her green eyes glittered as they looked down on me, making them shine like the most precious emeralds. My hands caressed her back as I made my way to the zipper of her dress before swiftly pulling it down. It fell from her body in one fluid motion, revealing more of her than I'd ever seen, which somehow was still not enough. She wore a black corset, paired with red, lace panties; it was nearly enough to make me come.

"Wow," I couldn't help but utter as I drank in the sight of her.

Wanting so badly to run my fingers through her beautiful hair, I grabbed her hips and turned her to face away from me. I reached up and pulled out pin after pin until the dark tresses covered most of her back. Her scent was thick in the air now, assaulting me in waves. I took in a deep breath and let the flavour of it roll over my tongue before turning her around to face me again. I noticed the extravagant tiara that Aro had given her still stuck in her hair, trying to compete for attention with her stunning face. It was no match; she would outshine any gemstone known to man, so I reached up and removed the offending piece.

"You're pretty enough without it," I told her while looking in her eyes.

I never took my eyes off of her as I started untying her corset until it fell off her body and onto the ground. Only then did I let my eyes roam downwards towards her chest where I came face to face with her breasts. Overcome with desire, I took one of her nipples in my mouth and let it roll over my tongue. Her resulting gasp made me impossibly harder, and it took everything I had not to throw her down and forcefully take her when she entwined her fingers into my hair. Instead, I concentrated on the smoothness of the little bud between my lips; I sucked on it hard before reluctantly releasing it. Lucy smiled down at me with heavily lidded eyes before stepping back and moving away from me. My hands hovered in the air for a moment, not wanting to let her go, as I watched her take off the rest of her jewellery and put it on her nightstand. I dropped my hands quickly when she turned and looked at me.

She moved over slowly and deliberately, swaying her hips in the most seductive manner. I grabbed her the moment she was within reach and pulled her close again. My fingers slid over the curve of her perfect ass, down her thighs, until they reached the soft skin on the inside of her knee. I pulled her leg up and placed her foot in my lap where I made quick work of untying her shoe. I slipped it off her tiny foot and let it fall to the floor. The way she was positioned only increased the potency of her scent, and I couldn't resist moving in closer. I skimmed my nose along the inside of her thigh, before pressing my lips against the smooth skin. I could've so easily lost myself there, but I fought to control my most basic urges and put her leg down gently. Her heartbeat was speeding rapidly as I repeated my actions with the other leg. When I put her leg back down onto the floor, she was considerably shorter than she had been in those heels; it made her look fragile and vulnerable. She was almost panting now, taking shallow breaths which made her breasts move up and down in front of my face. I was shocked, to say the least, when all of a sudden she quickly took her remaining underwear off before jumping into my lap.

"Enough with the foreplay," she practically growled, making me twitch against her.

She kissed me hard while her hands roamed all over my body. I let her push me back onto the bed where she straddled my hips, making my eyes roll into the back of my head as she pressed her slick heat against my aching cock.

"Fuck, Lucy!" I cursed, grabbing her hips to push her down against me. I couldn't help but buck up against her; I wanted to bury myself inside her soft flesh. She restrained me with surprising strength, and I looked up pleadingly. Her hands pushed on my chest hard as she narrowed her eyes at me.

"Don't move," she spoke sternly. I swallowed hard to get rid of the venom that was overflowing my mouth at the sight of her naked above me. I couldn't do anything else but nod.

I watched her curiously as she explored my chest and bucked against her again when she lightly touched my nipples. She moved her hands slowly outwards, over my arms and down to my hands, which were still on her hips. Her eyes locked with mine again when she took hold of my hands and started moving them over her body towards her breasts. Her skin was hot under my cold touch, making her nipples pebble the moment I touched them. I revelled in the feel of her soft and pliable flesh, enjoying the smoothness of the tiny buds under my thumbs. I could have done this forever, and I would have never gotten bored. Still, my desire to be buried in her overruled everything else, and when she moaned, it spiked to an almost dangerous level.

"Lucy, please let me inside you." She surprised me again when she chuckled.

"Not yet; I have other plans," she whispered.

She placed my hands at my sides where I understood they needed to stay. I felt oddly cold when she removed herself from my lap and kneeled down at my side. She seemed to hesitate for a second before she reached out and touched me. My cock twitched eagerly under her touch, and I leaned back and closed my eyes as she wrapped her warm hand around it. I moaned when she started moving up and down, lost in the pleasure she was giving me, and when I felt her soft tongue touch the tip of my cock, I couldn't stop my hips from bucking up. As she took me into her mouth, I tried to control my body, and it was with great effort that I refrained from thrusting into her. Though she wasn't human, she was no match for my strength, and I was positive I could end up hurting her. I groaned in pleasure, my breath speeding up.

"Oh God, that feels so good."

Her hands started working the parts that her mouth couldn't reach as she picked up the pace, increasing my desire to unparalleled levels. Just when I thought I would explode in her mouth, she released me and straddled me again.

"I need to feel you inside me, Felix. Do it now."

"Anything you say, Princess," I growled as I grabbed her and threw her on her back. I moved between her legs and looked into her eyes.

"Please tell me if I hurt you." I knew it wasn't her first time, but I also knew that my size might still hurt her, especially considering the fact that it had only been a short while since she lost her virginity.

"Just do it, Felix," she snorted, daring me with fiery eyes.

I took it slow, allowing her time to get adjusted to the feeling of me inside her. Her heat enveloped me, and I struggled to control the urge to thrust into her hard. When I was fully inside of her, I started moving deliberately, measuring my movements against her reactions. I couldn't take my eyes off her; I'd never felt more connected to anyone than I did right now. She looked at me curiously before she pulled at my face and kissed me. Her lips felt so soft and tasted so incredible, unlike any woman I'd ever been with before. She was so sweet and innocent, and right now, she was mine.

"Felix, please go faster," she pleaded. I wasted no time and thrust into her with more speed and force. She moaned loudly every time I filled her, the sound of it driving me to the brink of madness.

"Yes, just like that, Felix, please; don't stop!" She arched her body towards me, pushing her chest in my face. I couldn't resist; I had to taste her skin again. I pulled her closer and eagerly licked and sucked every part of her perfect breasts before biting down on one of her nipples.

"Oh, God! Harder, Felix, fuck me harder!"

I wanted to, so bad, but I was afraid to hurt her. I knew it was a possibility, and I needed to make sure she understood that once I lost control, there was no going back.

"Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you."

She looked up at me intently, fire burning in her eyes.

"I'm sure, just fucking do it!" she hissed at me.

My control faltered, and the beast inside me roared at its release. I sat up and pushed her thighs further apart with force, allowing me even deeper inside. I pulled and clawed at her flesh with each thrust as I relished the feel of her surrounding me completely.

"Lucy….Sweet Lucy," I moaned, overcome with my passion for her, taking her again and again and again, exactly how I wanted to.

"Felix, stop." Her voice barely registered in my mind as I kept up my pace.

"Huh…what?" I opened my eyes and looked at her.

"I said stop. I want to try something else."

This time I slowed down, curious to see what she might want. An uncharacteristic whine escaped my lips as she moved away from me. She rolled onto her stomach and moved onto her hands and knees. She teasingly looked over her shoulder, and I nearly came as she wiggled her perfect ass in invitation. I wasted no time plunging into her again, harder and faster than before. My hands had a firm grip on her hips as I pulled her to me again and again. Needing to feel her closer, I let my hands roam over her ribs, and I pulled her upright against me. She responded by throwing her arm backwards around my neck, pulling my face to hers and kissing me passionately. I grabbed her breasts roughly, squeezing and pulling at them. The way she gasped and moaned brought me close to the edge, and I knew I wasn't going to last much longer. She broke our kiss and looked at me.

"Do you like this, Felix? Is this what you wanted?"

"Yeah…so much," I panted in her ear.

I was so close to coming it was almost painful, which only got worse when she grabbed my hand and guided it down to her clit.

"Touch me, Felix; make me come."

I moaned at her plea and bit down on her earlobe. My fingers worked her with frantic pace, and within seconds, I could feel her contract around me.

"Yes, Felix, oh God!"

She thrashed in my arms as her orgasm overtook her. Her juiced flowed, and her core pulsed around me, pushing me over the edge with her.

"Lucy…" I moaned as I released everything I had inside of her, and I growled as wave after wave of undiluted pleasure ripped through me. Eventually my body slowed, and I loosened my grip on her. She fell to the bed on her stomach, and I lay down beside her. Her hair was covering most of her face, and I brushed it away so I could see her. She had her eyes closed and looked content. I continued to stroke her hair, loving the smooth, silky feeling under my hands. I feared she was falling asleep, and I wasn't ready to let her go yet, so I decided to speak.

"Demetri was right; you really are something else." As soon as I mentioned his name, I knew I had made a mistake in bringing him up. She turned her head towards me and opened her eyes.

"What else did he say about me?" I thought about how he had boasted about her, about the way she'd practically thrown herself at him. I couldn't tell her that though; I was afraid it would hurt her.

"Nothing much, really. Just that he was a bit shocked at your advances initially but delighted that you chose him to be the first." I couldn't help but be slightly bitter about that fact, and I could tell she'd caught onto it. She giggled softly; the sound was like music to my ears.

"Does that upset you, Felix?"

I looked at her as her eyes were closing again, and I knew she was close to sleep.

"More than you could ever know," I whispered. Her breathing evened out; she was sleeping now. I lay there for a long time, just watching her. Eventually I knew I had to get up and get moving; we would be leaving soon. I dressed quietly, making sure not to wake her, and when I was done, I leaned over her one last time and kissed her cheek before walking out the door. My chest constricted as what I was about to do hit me. This might have been the last happy and carefree night of my existence.

**Did you like? The next chapter will finally find out what it was that they were doing during that time they left Lucy alone in the castle!**

**Please review? Pretty please?**


	2. Meeting Destiny

"Where the hell were you?"

Demetri looked at me with obvious questions in his eyes. I couldn't help but smile; in fact, I hadn't stopped smiling ever since I left her room. No matter what was coming now, I knew I could face it because she would be waiting for me.

"I was with Lucy," I answered, attempting not to sound too smug.

His eyes bulged, and his mouth fell open the tiniest bit. Before he could start questioning me however, the Elders approached us.

"Ah, Felix, you're here. Since you were the last one to arrive, I think we're ready to go now."

As they passed us, Jane looked up at me with narrowed eyes. I glared back, daring her to speak up, but eventually, she looked away. Demetri and I joined the ranks behind Jane and Alec. The entire Guard was with us on this trip - something that rarely happened. I wondered if the Elders had informed Lucy of our departure; maybe I should have said something, but then again, it wasn't my place.

Once we were inside the cars that were waiting outside the underground exit, Demetri moved in closer and started questioning me about my night. It took me great restraint to not start boasting like he had to me. I gave him as much as I could without telling everything; I didn't want to risk embarrassing Lucy. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when I told him about how she'd pleased me.

"Hmm…I'm going to have to try to get her to do that for me." He seemed lost in thought, which was why he didn't notice my fists clench at his words. I wished he would just stay away from her; he didn't care about Lucy, not like I did anyway.

We pulled into a small airport that we used whenever we needed to fly somewhere for a mission. The Volturi had a couple of private planes at their disposal; ready to use whenever we needed to. Demetri and I pulled our cloaks over our faces and stepped out of our car. The others had pulled up as well, and we followed them onto the jet. We sat down in the comfortable black, leather chairs. I took a seat by the window so that I would be able to watch the world below. The fact that man was now able to fly still marvelled me; at the time of my creation, even the thought of such a thing was considered ludicrous. It amazed me how far the world had progressed since those days.

I felt the all too familiar pull of the plane leaving the ground, and I knew my stomach would have lurched had I been human. Instead, I enjoyed the sensation and watched as the ground slowly faded; the landscape grew smaller and smaller until it looked like a patchwork quilt. Just as I was beginning to wonder where we were going, Aro rose and faced us.

"Let me start by saying how excited I am about this adventure; we are literally and figuratively at the birth of a new era. For centuries we've ruled effectively, always making sure our kind is kept hidden. Now is the time we expand our empire. Watching Luciana grow has been a learning experience for all of us, and I feel we hold the knowledge to proceed with our plan." He looked around for a second before proceeding.

"There are four women being held at a secret location somewhere in the Mediterranean. Santiago is taking care of them at the moment. They have been carefully selected, making sure they would only enhance the qualities we already possess. We will go in and meet these women, and I must ask you to do so with caution. There is no need to frighten them; it would only harm the cause. Caius, Demetri, Felix," he gestured towards each of us in turn.

"I'm proud to have my brother and my best warriors at my side for this. Together we will bring the ancient vampire world into the twenty-first century."

There were smiles and appreciative murmurs at his words. I just felt anxious. I wasn't comfortable with the fact that I was asked to impregnate a woman with a child that I knew would eventually kill her. I knew it was hypocritical; I killed women all the time. This time it would be different though; this time her death would be slow and painful, and she would know it was coming.

I honestly didn't know how I felt about becoming a father; it was never something I'd considered in my human life. I was never married; no girl had ever caught my eye. Instead, I lived a frivolous life until the day I died and woke up a vampire. Nothing much had changed since then, not until Lucy that is. For the first time in my existence, I could envision myself in the arms of only one woman; her. Which made what I had to do now even more unbearable. I wondered what she would think of me if she knew.

Demetri seemed no more pleased with the idea of parenthood than I was. He was a selfish man who only kept people in his life that he knew would benefit him one way or another. We had been as close as brothers since the day he was turned, yet I would never trust him completely. I knew he thought having a child would get in the way of his careless lifestyle, and he was already figuring out a way to get one of the women in the Guard to take care of the baby. So far he had been unsuccessful however; none of them were willing to help. I had to admit I was amused by it; he wasn't used to women saying no to him, whatever the reason may be.

The plane circled around a tiny island that I guessed was our destination. As we got lower, I noticed that it was completely empty, apart from some palm trees, which made me wonder where the women were held. We finally touched down and made our way off the plane. The human pilot guided us over the beach. The sun was high in the sky, its rays seeping into the black fabric of my cloak. The warmth hugged around me, and I was reminded of Lucy's embrace. I smiled when I thought of her and wondered if she missed me at all. The pilot stopped, and I noticed a latch in the sand. He pulled at it to reveal in underground entry. The Elders quickly descended, and we all followed.

The cold in the underground tunnel hit me hard after the heat of the sun. It was completely dark here, and the pilot stumbled behind us, trying to look for his flashlight. Of course we didn't need such things with our keen eyesight. He finally found his light and hurried past us towards a door at the end of the tunnel. He opened it swiftly and bowed towards Aro who didn't even acknowledge him as he walked through. The man kept his head down as we all passed him; his grovelling attitude disgusted me. I had no doubt in my mind that this man would end up as food very soon, and I felt no sympathy towards him.

The room we had entered was very modern, which surprised me. It was completely white, with very minimal furniture; only a small desk against the right wall. The door on the other side opened, and Santiago entered.

"Master, I'm so pleased to see you." He reached out his hand to Aro who took it quickly. Both men stood in quiet for a few seconds before Aro released him. Santiago stepped back immediately and took his place amongst the lower ranking Guard.

"They are ready for us." Aro turned around and walked towards the door Santiago had just come through. Once again we were in an underground tunnel, though this one was as light and modern as the room we'd just been in. There were doors at regular intervals on each side of the tunnel.

"Caius, my brother, behind this first door is your carrier. Santiago informed me that the doctor told him that she will be ready in four days. I must ask you to remain courteous until that time."

Caius glowered at Aro before opening the door and stepping through. I turned my head; I didn't want to see the woman. It would remind me too much of Lucy's poor mother.

"Demetri, in this room is your carrier. I heard she's resisting her imprisonment; I hope your charm will sway her to see sense. She'll be ready for you in a little over a week; until that time, I think it wisest to refrain from any activities that might jeopardise the cause." He narrowed his eyes at Demetri who smirked at the Elder, indicating that he understood what was asked of him. As Aro opened the door I caught a glimpse of shiny black hair and wild eyes, and before Demetri closed the door, I heard an almost feral growl come from inside. I chuckled softly in the knowledge that he might not have it so easy with this woman.

Aro's hand wrapped around my elbow as he guided me to another door. Dread filled me as I realized I was about to meet the mother of my child.

"Felix, I saved this one for you. As my strongest warrior, your child will be most valuable to the cause. This woman is equally strong, maybe not in the physical sense but surely in her emotions. She has not resisted once and has quietly accepted her fate. She is very special, and I am proud to give her to you."

I felt sickened by his callous words; this woman was not his to give away, yet he seemed to think he owned her. I suppose he did in a way; her life was in his hands, in _my_ hands. I took a deep breath as he opened the door.

"She will not reach her fertile period until after we get home, just like Demetri's carrier. I know I don't have to ask you to be gentle; I trust you will make her comfortable. Good luck to you."

The first thing I noticed as I walked into the room was how empty it was. There was a bed, a sink and a toilet, nothing else. Just like the hallway and the reception room, the walls here were also white, giving the place a very sterile look. Only after I took in every detail of the place did I dare let my eyes roam to the small form that sat on the bed. She looked straight at me, and I could detect neither fear nor anger in her eyes. Aro was right; this woman was brave beyond words. She had completely resigned herself to whatever was happening to her. Her eyes followed me as I moved towards her and sat down on the bed beside her. She kept looking at me with inquisitive eyes, as if she were trying to make sense of me. I let her, and in return, I did the same with her. Her hair was the color of honey with streaks of gold here and there, reaching down to just below her shoulders. Her eyes were blue as sapphire, framed by long lashes that tickled her cheeks every time she blinked. Her skin was creamy and pink, with beautiful rose-coloured blushes on her cheeks. She was very attractive, I had to admit. I startled when she smiled and revealed her perfect, white teeth.

"Are you Felix?" Her voice was light and had a slight musical tone to it. "They said you were coming for me."

"Yes, I'm Felix." I smiled at her. "And what's your name?"

"Susanna." Her smile grew even wider, and I couldn't help but mirror it.

"Wow, they told me you were handsome, but I wasn't expecting this." She eyed me up and down, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

If I had still been able to blush, I would have done so at her obvious admiration. As it was, I just grinned sheepishly, which made her giggle. She seemed so casual about this whole thing that I began to wonder if she understood what was happening.

"Do you know why you're here?" I had to ask. Her eyes drifted away from mine and a sad smile replaced her earlier grin.

"Yes. They told me that I'll be carrying a baby for you, and that I won't survive the pregnancy." I sucked in a sharp breath, completely amazed at how she knew all of this and was still able to approach it so calmly.

"Why does that not upset you?" I knew I may be crossing a line, but I just had to understand. Her eyes found mine again, and the amount of grief in them was enough to make me stop breathing.

"Many things have been taken from me in my life; I have nothing left. I'm a woman of faith; I believe that God has a reason for everything he does. He led me to you, and when I give you your child, I will finally be able to go home. I just want peace."

All I could do was nod. I wanted to press further, but I was afraid to hurt her. She wiped away a single tear that had started coming down and then shook as if to rid her mind of the bad memories. When she looked up, she was smiling again, and I was once more amazed by her strength. She held up her arms and only now did I notice the shackles on her wrists.

"Are these really necessary? I promise I won't run."

Without hesitating, I pulled at the locks, and they fell off her wrists, revealing nasty cuts on her skin.

"Thank you," she said, rubbing her wrists to try and soothe the pain. I grabbed her arms and moved my hands towards her cuts; I knew the cold would help prevent the swelling. She sighed happily and relaxed.

"Why are you so cold?" Her head tilted to the side in the cutest way as she asked her question.

"There is no blood to warm my body, only venom." She nodded thoughtfully.

"What's your story, Felix? Why are you here?" Her eyes searched deep into mine as if she were trying to find the answer there.

"I'm here because I've been told to be here; nothing more, nothing less." There was a bitter edge to my voice, and she noticed.

"So this is not your choice?"

"No," I answered truthfully, averting my eyes from her scrutinizing stare.

"Is it possible for a demon like you to love?" He voice was so quiet; it was as if she was asking herself the question instead of me. I had to admit, the term she used to describe me hurt, however accurate it may be.

"I can love; I _do_ love. We are not devoid of human emotions."

"What's her name?"

Susanna's question shot Lucy to the forefront of my mind. I was about to betray her, making me no better than Demetri. She would never forgive me for this; it would break her heart. All of a sudden, I wondered why the Elders hadn't considered pairing me with her. I knew she was at least strong enough to survive this. Susanna wriggled her wrists in my hands in an effort to get me to release her, and I realized I had been putting too much pressure on them. I let go immediately and jumped up.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. I turned to her in amazement.

"I'm the one who should be sorry; I didn't mean to hurt you."

"No, I shouldn't have asked all those questions; it's obviously a sensitive subject." There was pity in her eyes now, and I couldn't stand it. I turned away from her and ran my hands through my hair in an effort to calm down. Eventually, I got my nerves under control, and I dropped my arms, letting them fall limply by my side.

"Her name is Lucy," I whispered. I wanted to tell her everything, but at that same time, there was a knock on the door and a human entered carrying a tray of food. He put the tray on the bed beside Susanna and quickly left again, closing the door behind him. She lifted the lid and turned up her nose. I couldn't blame her; it smelled disgusting, even for human food. Just as I was about to tell her that I would ask the humans to cook her something better, a loud noise startled both of us. It sounded as if something metal was being thrown against a wall. Immediately it was followed by screaming.

"Get away from me you perverted son of a bitch! There is no way in hell I would ever let you touch me, do you hear me? _Never!_"

I looked at Susanna, who smiled knowingly, before I turned and walked into the hallway. Demetri was backing out of his room, his arms raised in front of him. From what I could see, the side of his face was covered in the same foul smelling stuff that had been on Susanna's tray. I suppressed the urge to burst out into laughter but couldn't stop myself from smirking. His always so carefully coiffed hair was dripping with food, and the designer shirt he was wearing was ripped to shreds. Once he was outside the room, a woman stepped in the doorway. Even with her wrists still shackled, she looked dangerous and menacing.

"Stay the _fuck_ away from me," she spat at him before slamming the door in his face.

A chuckle escaped me at the sight, no matter how hard I tried to keep it down. His head turned to me; he had a look of sheer disbelief on his face.

"That bitch is crazy," he muttered, before turning around and leaving for the reception room.

Behind me, I heard Susanna giggle, and I turned to find her in the doorway, clutching her stomach. Her laugh became louder and louder until it echoed through the hallway. I couldn't help but laugh with her, the image of Demetri covered in food, stunned at the fact that a woman would actually deny him, was enough to make me laugh louder than I had in years. When our laughter eventually died down into the occasional chuckle, we looked at each other and smiled, relishing the little moment of relief from what was to come.

**A/N **

**Very special thanks once again must go to SusanAshlea. For holding my hand, for being stern with me, for putting me on Twitterban and for generally everything, really. If it wasn't for her I would still be staring at a certain picture right now instead of publishing this. I love you!**

**Jkane180 – The superstar awesome Beta, who I adore more than I could ever say.**

**Megsly (angelicwish) – Who plans on making me a redneck. Yee-Haw!**

**To all of you that read and review and make this journey worth it. I know I haven't been responding to reviews, but I was going through some stuff. I promise I will be better next time. I love all my readers SFM! Please come play with me on Twitter at Bforqueen.**


	3. Fractured Souls

**A/N: **

**Sorry, I have to do this. I have a couple of things to say.**

**First - I have been slacking in updates, I know...But I have a good reason! I was writing a o/s for the Volturi Challenge on MVF. It took me about 3 weeks and a lot of tantrums, but the result is someting I'm very proud of. Unfortunately, I can't tell you which one is mine, since it's anonymous, but if my fics have given you a taste for the Volturi, I suggest checking it out. See if you can guess which is mine! One hint: I've kept it quite canon to Fallen Princess and Absolution. Reading and voting can be done here: http: (double slash) myvampfiction (dot) com (slash) 2010 (slash) 07 (slash) volturi-challenge-voting-open (slash)**

**Second, Fallen Princess won the Underdog Award in the Shimmers, which makes me best new author! Squee! Thanks for all that voted for me, own up so I can lick your faces!**

**Third, Fallen Princess is up for 2 Vampies! OMG! I'm nominated for the Poisened Apple (best angst) and Evil always wins...Because good is dumb (best Volturi/Nomads). Btw - how funny are those catagory titles...gigglesnort... Voting starts on the 11th and I'm gonna beg and plead for you to vote for me. If you love FP, please please take a second and vote, it would mean the world to me. Here's the link: http: (double slash) twificpics (dot) com (slash) vampawards (slash) ?page_id=198**

**I might as well get shout outs and thatk you's out of the way...**

**I completely stole these names:**

**Elliana - named after EllaB_Twilight - Bow down before your Mistress and lick my boots...**

**Heather - named after Saluki - I love you sooooo hard. **

**Many many many many thanks to:**

**Jkane180, I love it when you Beta me...licks for you...**

**SusanAshlea, because you get me.**

**Megsly (angelicwish), bitch twin high five!**

**Jules, spank me, please...**

**Okay, I'm done, read on my lovely readers...I love you hardcore...  
**

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"This is a nightmare. How am I supposed to obey Aro's wishes if she doesn't even let me near her?"

Demetri paced the little room where we were waiting for our elders to discuss the plans. He'd been able to shower and put on some new clothes, but my sharp senses still picked up the stench of the food that had been all over him an hour ago. He hadn't been back to her room after she kicked him out; he almost seemed afraid of the woman.

"Have you tried talking to her?"

He stopped his pacing and looked at me as if I was crazy for even suggesting it.

"I mean, do you even know her name?"

"No, I couldn't get anything out of her. She just ignored me, until she started shouting."

"Her name is Elliana."

Demetri visibly jumped when Aro and Caius walked through the door.

"I thought I asked you to charm her, Demetri, not scare her half to death."

Demetri's eyes widened at Aro's words.

"Master, with all due respect, I don't think she's the right woman for me. She doesn't seem to want anything to do with me."

Aro cackled loudly and clapped Demetri on the shoulder.

"Since when do you shy away from a challenge, my young warrior? She might be a bit wild, but if anyone can break her in, it's you."

My eyes narrowed at his words. This assignment was becoming more and more of a strain on my conscience, and the way Aro always spoke about the women amplified that. Though I'd only known Susanna for a couple of hours, she'd already become quite dear to me. I wouldn't ever have Aro speak that way about her.

"Enough about this now; we have more urgent matters to discuss."

Aro urged us to gather closer, and we all obliged.

"My carrier is ready; I shall proceed with the insemination this evening. Caius is next, though we will have to wait a couple of days for that. Since the pregnancies progress fast, we will be moving back to the castle after that. There, you will be able to impregnate your women."

He turned to me and smiled.

"Felix, I trust your meeting with Susanna went well?"

"Yes, Master," I answered. "You were right; she's pretty amazing."

His smile grew even wider, and he nodded.

"It pleases me to hear that. Perhaps you can give Demetri some advice on how to handle women." He cackled loudly, obviously pleased at his own joke. Demetri scowled, not happy at being ridiculed. I turned my back on all of them, ready to leave this room and go back to Susanna.

"Excuse me, Master; if you don't need me anymore, I would like to return to her room now."

"Of course, Felix." He gestured his hand towards the door in a casual manner, dismissing me. Demetri looked from me to Aro and back, his eyes frightened.

"I…I think it's best if I stay here for now."

"Nonsense. You will go back to her and make her like you. Honestly Demetri, with your reputation, I would have thought better of you."

I chuckled as I left them and quickly walked towards the room that held Susanna. When I entered, she was sitting on the bed, reading a worn book. She laid it down beside her when she saw me and smiled brightly, once again amazing me with her optimism.

"Is your friend okay?" She tried to sound sincere, but the corners of her mouth twitched, and I knew she was trying hard not to laugh. I tried to make my expression as stern as possible as I spoke to her.

"Demetri might very possibly be scarred for life. It doesn't happen often that a woman says no. He's very upset about it."

She narrowed her eyes at me and glared. I couldn't help myself and burst out into laughter. She scowled for a moment, before she joined me, and we laughed together.

"I'm sorry," she chuckled, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. "It was just so funny, the look on his face when she shut him out."

I chuckled with her, happy to see her laughing, in light of what was to come. Eventually, we both calmed down, and I sat down next to her. I absentmindedly picked up the book she was reading and looked at the cover.

"Jude, the Obscure?" Her choice surprised me; it just didn't seem like her at all.

"It's my favourite; I don't know why. I know it's dark, and it doesn't end well, but it just seems more real than, for instance, Romeo and Juliet."

I nodded in agreement, thinking of Lucy.

"Love is rarely that perfect and instantaneous. And even Romeo and Juliet didn't have a happy ending." There was no future for me and Lucy; the longer I was here, the more I began to realize that. It hurt me more than anything ever had, and I cringed at the thought of having to tell her.

"Tell me about Lucy." Her hand was on my arm, and her eyes were full of concern. I ran my hand through my hair, trying to find the right place to start.

"She's Caius' daughter, half human, half vampire."

"Like our child will be."

I nodded uncomfortably before continuing.

"Lucy is…one of a kind. She's beautiful, spirited and strong. Her life has not been easy, but yet she's grown up into such an incredible woman."

Susanna looked at me and squeezed my arm in comfort.

"I fell in love with her long before I realized I did. Even when I knew, I never acted on it, not until she was completely grown. By then it was too late; she'd fallen for Demetri."

Her eyes widened at this, but she still never spoke, leaving me to tell my story.

"He took advantage of her the first chance he got, and no doubt hurt her in the process. It was after that she turned to me. Though it probably wasn't smart, she was likely just seeking revenge, I couldn't resist. Being with her made me feel alive for the first time in what seemed like forever, and I never wanted it to end."

I couldn't go on and bowed my head in my hands. I concentrated on my breathing to try and keep the sadness I felt at bay. Susanna's soft hand found her way into my hair, and she started stroking it soothingly.

"What happened?" Her voice was no more than a whisper. I took a deep, shaky breath before answering.

"The next morning, we left to come here."

I heard her gasp, and she remained silent for the longest time.

"Does she know?"

I shook my head and looked at her.

"No, she doesn't. I don't even think she knows we're gone. It'll break her heart when she finds out." I sighed deeply.

"I'm sorry."

My head snapped up, and I looked at her. She still had her hand on my hair, and she now ran it down my cheek, caressing it with her thumb.

"This isn't your fault; you have nothing to be sorry for. It's just the way things are."

I took her hand and carefully removed it from my face. No matter how much I appreciated the comfort, the gesture felt odd to me right now. I squeezed her hand before releasing it and stood up.

"Are you hungry?"

Her eyebrows shot up at my change of subject, but she seemed to understand my need for it and obliged.

"Yes, I actually am. I haven't eaten properly since I came here. They should honestly fire the chef; he's not doing his job." She forced a smile, and I returned it, grateful for her understanding.

"I'll make sure you get something nice. Anything you're in the mood for?"

"Steak and fries would be nice." Her smile was genuine now, and I nodded my head once to show her I understood.

"I'll take care of it. Excuse me for a moment."

I didn't wait for her response; instead, I all but ran from the room. Pouring my heart out to her like I'd done had caused reality to hit me hard. I loved Lucy, and I would never be able to be with her. I walked faster and faster, until I reached the reception room. Aro, Caius and Demetri were nowhere in sight, but Jane and Alec stood side by side at the door.

"Where is the kitchen?" I snapped at Jane, which made her narrow her eyes at me. She contemplated me for a moment, and I knew she was deciding whether or not to use her power on me. I didn't care; no pain she inflicted on me could be worse than the torture I endured at this moment. Eventually, she pointed her thumb over her shoulder and spoke.

"Through the door and go right. It's the last door to your left."

I didn't thank her but just kept walking in the direction she pointed me. When I reached the door, I launched myself through it to find two men sitting at a small table, about to eat what appeared to be the steak that Susanna craved. They jumped at my sudden appearance, and one of them dropped a knife to the floor. I walked across the room quickly until I was right in front of them.

"Are you enjoying your food, gentlemen?"

They both gaped at me, mouths open, fear in their eyes. Neither of them spoke. I leaned in closer, until my face was level with theirs.

"From now on, you'll make sure the women get good food. I'll personally be watching to see that you do. If I ever catch you trying to feed them any crap again, I'll force you to eat all of it yourselves. Do I make myself clear?"

They nodded stupidly, still not saying a word. I growled menacingly to emphasize the threat and they both jumped away from the table. I righted myself and made a split second decision.

"I'll be taking these." I picked up the plates and swiftly left the room. Jane and Alec looked stunned when I flew past them, but I paid them no mind and was out of the room again before they could say anything. I stopped at Elliana's door and knocked. Demetri opened it, looking a little worse for wear.

"Here, give her this." I thrust the plate in his hands. He looked at it, stunned.

"What if she throws it at me again?" Despite my bad mood, I couldn't help but smirk.

"Don't be ridiculous, Demetri. She hasn't eaten yet, and she's probably very hungry. This is good food; she'll not want to waste it by dumping it on your head."

With that, I turned and left him to it. Susanna looked up eagerly when I practically burst through the door.

"How did you get that?" Her eyes were wide in amazement, and I couldn't help but feel a little smug.

"I have my ways." She jumped up and threw her arms around my neck, stood up on her toes and lightly kissed my cheek. She blushed when she released me, and I'm sure I would have been doing the same if it were possible.

"Thank you," she said shyly, before taking the plate from my hands and sitting down on her bed. She closed her eyes and froze for a moment.

"Heavenly Father, thank you for this food and for the nourishment of my body. Amen."

She opened her eyes and started eating fast. She must have been starving. I watched her as she ate, happy I was able to do something for her, however small it might have been.

* * *

Several days passed like this. I spent most of my time with Susanna, getting to know her better. Our conversations remained superficial; I didn't want to talk about Lucy again. A couple of times, I wanted to ask her about her life, but I was scared it would sadden her and in the end, decided against it. She would tell me when she was ready. As far as Demetri was concerned, things with Elliana hadn't changed much; she still refused to let him come close. In an attempt to make things easier, Aro had decided to have the doctor drug her. It took the edge off her rage, but Demetri had still not made any progress with her. For his sake, I hoped she would choose to cooperate soon. Aro would not be happy if Demetri failed the experiment.

The insemination of Aro's carrier, a beautiful Irish woman named Heather, had been successful, and she was already starting to show. Unlike Susanna, who was still taking everything with unrelenting strength, Heather had become catatonic and didn't move or speak. A doctor had come in to put her on an IV, so she would at least get some nourishment. I wanted to feel bad for her, but my head and heart were preoccupied with both Lucy and Susanna.

Right now, we were waiting on the results of Caius' carrier. His insemination had taken place last night, and the screams had been so loud that I actually went against Aro's wishes and took Susanna outside. It wasn't like she could go anywhere; there was no way off this island, and even if there was, I doubt she would've run. She hardly spoke as we walked around the tiny island, and she looked terrified. I wanted to tell her I wouldn't hurt her like that, but I couldn't bring myself to talk about it; I was in denial as much as she was.

We were gathered in the white reception room when Caius and Aro walked in, looking happy.

"Everything has gone perfectly. We will be leaving as soon as we can. Get your women ready, please."

Ten minutes later, we were all making our way outside. Susanna walked beside me, still looking pale. She'd not slept well last night; I'd watched her toss and turn until eventually she gave up and read her book again to pass the time.

Demetri escorted Elliana, who appeared a lot more subdued now that she was drugged, though her eyes were still scared and wild. Susanna looked over her shoulder at the girl, and slowed her pace until she was beside her.

"Are you okay?" She touched Elliana's arm in an attempt to give comfort. The girl nodded defiantly and righted her shoulders. Demetri sighed and quickened his step until he was caught up with me. Over the last couple of days, he'd begun to struggle with his conscience. I knew that despite Elliana's animosity towards him, he didn't agree with having her drugged. Though he initially thought nothing of the mission, the consequences were finally starting to sink in. I felt bad for my friend. That is, until he mentioned Lucy.

"I can't wait to see our girl. I'll bet you she misses me."

I glared at him. "I wouldn't be so sure of that, if I were you."

He smirked at me. "Felix, you don't honestly think that one night with you will change her feelings for me, do you? It's me she wants; you were just available when I wasn't."

I gritted my teeth at his arrogance. "We'll see," I hissed.

The flight back to Italy went smoothly, and we were there in no time. Aro took us down into the underground catacombs of the castle but not before instructing Jane to get Lucy and bring her to the Royal room. I helped Susanna settle into her gloomy chamber, with the promise of returning soon while I made a mental note to bring her some things that might help brighten up her chamber. When we stepped into the Royal room, we were greeted by a worried looking Jane.

"Master, she's not in her room. I can't seem to find her anywhere."

Aro immediately turned to Demetri, who smiled in response.

"Already found her master; she's not far. I'll go and get her now, if you want me to."

"Go, Demetri, bring her back."

He rushed out the door, and a feeling of foreboding settled in my chest as I watched him leave. Suddenly, I wasn't sure anymore about Lucy's feelings for me. If Demetri got to her first, there was no doubt he would end up trying to seduce her, and I sincerely hoped she was strong enough to resist.

Caius sent one of the servants for his wife but was surprised when the girl returned with the message that Athenodora didn't want to see him. He stormed out of the room to find her, leaving me with Aro, Marcus and the twins. After about thirty minutes, I got anxious and asked if I could go find them. Aro shot me a curious look but obliged anyway.

I ran down the halls and out of the castle, eager to get to them. The streets were dark and quiet, though there was a golden line on the horizon, hinting at the sunrise. I was almost at the edge of the city when I caught a scent that made my heart plummet. I stopped in my tracks and slowly walked in the direction from which it was coming. They appeared to be in a small alleyway to my right. As I got closer, I heard Demetri speak.

"Say it. Say it's me you want."

I leaned my back into a wall, silently pleading her to say no, to not fall for him again. Neither of us could have her in the end, but I still wanted her to want me.

"Demetri." His name was no more than a sigh from her lips, and her breathing was going fast. I closed my eyes and stopped breathing. Her scent was thick in the air now, and I felt nearly sick as I realized what was going on. Her panting increased, and she moaned. I wanted to turn and run, but for some reason, I was frozen on the spot.

"_Say it, Princess!"_

"Yes! It's you I want you. Oh God, please, Demetri."

My heart broke into a million tiny fragments until nothing but dust remained. Had there been wind, I'm sure it would have been blown off into the early morning sky with no chance of ever coming back again. I clutched my chest, trying to stop the pain, but it was no use. Demetri was right; she didn't want me.

I heard her breathing slow down and decided to make myself known. I took a deep breath, immediately regretting it when the taste of her hit the back of my throat. I entered the alleyway and spotted them straight away. He had her pinned against the wall, his hand down her jeans. She looked flushed, her cheeks blushing and beads of sweat on her forehead. Suddenly, her eyes locked with mine.

"Felix."

She looked embarrassed. Demetri followed her gaze and smirked when he saw me. He slowly retracted his hand from her jeans.

"The elders wondered what was taking so long."

"Let's go then; we don't want to keep your father waiting." Demetri turned and walked towards me, looking smugger than I'd ever seen him.

"Told you," he whispered when he was close enough for her not to overhear. It took all my strength not to attack him right there. I couldn't help but look at Lucy, but she didn't meet my eyes. I turned and walked out of the alley with Demetri beside me. I could smell her all over him, and it was driving me crazy. Luckily, he didn't speak; I wouldn't have been able to deal with that. I knew Lucy was following us, but I didn't look back, not even once. The sight of her would've been too much to handle right now.

We reached the Royal room quickly, and Demetri silently gave Aro everything he wanted to know. I walked to my usual place at the left side of the room and looked down. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lucy greet Aro.

"My dearest niece, how I have missed your pleasant company."

She didn't respond, and I couldn't help but look up. Her hands were behind her back, and she looked slightly scared.

"Will you not show me what you have been doing in our absence?"

I was shocked to see her straighten herself as she looked at him defiantly.

"No." Her stance was strong, but her voice shook the tiniest bit, betraying her insecurity.

"No?" His voice was full of disbelief.

"No, it's private. I mean no disrespect, Uncle Aro, but I no longer wish to share my thoughts with you."

I couldn't help but feel proud at the way she stood up to Aro. None of us liked the constant invasion of our privacy. I was also a bit scared for her, however. No one defied Aro and got away with it.

Caius, who had apparently been unable to find his wife, rushed from his throne and ran towards Lucy.

"You insolent little girl, you will do as he says." His words were no more than an angry hiss. At the same time, he violently tugged her arm in an attempt to get it out from behind her back. Lucy glared angrily at her father.

"Why? Why should I listen to you? You wanted nothing to do with me, remember?"

I held my breath, awaiting Caius' response. Before he could say or do anything, Aro intervened by putting his hand on his arm.

"Hush, my brother. If Luciana does not wish to share with us, then she does not need to. We will leave her be." When he turned away from her, I saw his fake smile fade into an angry grimace. He murmured under his breath, "_For now."_

As Aro made his way back to his throne, I dared a glance at Lucy. She looked every bit as beautiful as when I left her. Something was different about her though; she seemed stronger somehow. I couldn't help but wonder what she'd been doing while we were away and where she'd been when Demetri found her.

"Luciana."

My head snapped back to Aro, who stood by his throne, his smile back in place.

"I will give you your privacy in return for a rule I will regretfully have to enforce on you. You will no longer be permitted to walk through the castle unaccompanied; one of the Guard will be with you at all times if you wish to leave your room."

Aro was using her rebellion as an excuse to make her follow his rules. Though I understood the necessity of not having her wander the castle, I couldn't help but think that he also wanted to keep some kind of control over her.

"I also understand you have been travelling outside the castle to visit with humans. Though I do wish you would have asked for permission, I must admit I am thrilled you have taken a liking to them. I will therefore allow you to continue these meetings, under the condition that you tell me when you leave. Is that understood?"

So she'd been meeting with humans. This kind of surprised me. She didn't seem to like them much at her party. I wondered which of the humans she would've met with, and if there was something going on.

Lucy nodded, though I noticed she wasn't happy.

"Good." Aro smiled at her, but it wasn't sincere.

"Can I leave now, please?" Lucy seemed eager to get out of this room, and I couldn't blame her.

"Yes, you may. Felix?"

I startled when he called my name but immediately pulled myself together and stepped forward.

"Uncle Aro, can Demetri please take me back to my room?"

My heart sank; I knew what this meant. I bowed my head, not wanting to show anyone in the room how much this hurt me.

"If that is what you wish. Demetri, please escort the Princess to her room."

Demetri responded immediately and left his place at my side. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched them walk out together, leaving me empty and alone.

* * *

**Again, love you...puffy heart style...**


	4. Pleasure and Pain

**This chapter would not have existed if it wasn't for SusanAshlea. Susanna is yours, honey. I love you.**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. I own Lucy and Susanna.**

* * *

Defeated, I walked back to Susanna's chamber. I found her in a restless sleep. Her hair was splayed messily above her head, the sheets were tangled around her legs, and sweat was on her brow. She moaned every now and again, and I realized she was having a nightmare. I cautiously walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge. Seeing her in this state worried me that her enduring optimism was nothing more than a façade to hide something that was clearly troubling her. I hoped she would confide in me at some point, but I didn't know if she would ever trust me enough. I honestly didn't blame her; not when I was about to take her life in such a barbaric way.

I reached out and laid my hand on her forehead, and to my surprise, she immediately calmed. She sighed and turned her body towards me. Her hand found its way to my cloak, and she pulled it to her, clutching it to her chest. I sat like that for hours, watching her chest rise and fall. Her breathing was even now, and her expression was peaceful. I tried to focus on her, making an effort to block out the images of Lucy and Demetri that kept trying to penetrate my mind. It was pointless; I couldn't stop it. The longer I sat there, the angrier I became at Demetri. He was only using Lucy to boost his own ego after Elliana's rejection. Of course, I was most upset with myself for assuming that she returned my feelings. That was obviously not the case.

When Susanna's breathing changed and I knew she would wake soon, I chose to leave the room. I couldn't face her now. Instead, I made my way to the Elders, making sure to stop by the kitchen and telling the staff to prepare the women a decent breakfast. The human servants gawked at me in disbelief but were quick to bow and assure me they would take care of it. I took my usual place in the Royal room, not speaking to anyone. I just stared at the ground until the door opened and Demetri came in, bouncing lightly and looking smug. Violent rage soared through me, and I had to clench my fists in order to keep from punching him on the spot. He seemed to sense my mood as he quietly took his place beside me. Aro stood up and made his way towards us. I cast my eyes back to the ground, trying to make myself invisible. If he were to become aware of my recent thoughts, it would only complicate things further.

"Demetri, I hope to hear from the doctor soon. It won't be long before Elliana is ready to conceive. Have you made any progress with the woman?"

Demetri stuttered while trying to come up with a decent answer.

"Ah…er…well, I was…You see…"

I couldn't help but look up to see Aro's response. The ancient vampire glared at Demetri, his eyes narrowed in obvious disapproval.

"Would I be correct in assuming that you've been with my niece the entire night?"

Demetri looked terrified, and he gave no response.

"That disappoints me greatly. Have I not made myself clear that this is a matter of the utmost importance?"

"Yes, Master," Demetri whispered.

"Speak up!" Aro exclaimed angrily.

"Yes, Master," Demetri spoke, louder this time.

"Then why do you neglect your duties? You knew this day was coming, and yet you have not even tried to befriend Elliana. How do you think to succeed today?"

Demetri righted his shoulders and looked Aro in the eyes.

"Don't worry, Master. I'll make sure this goes as you've planned."

Aro contemplated Demetri for a few seconds before nodding sternly.

"You'd better not fail, Demetri. If you do, there will be consequences."

With that he turned, his cloak billowing behind him as he made his way back to his throne. As I watched him go, my eyes wandered to Marcus, who, to my surprise, looked worried. I'd never known him to display any sort of emotion; apparently he'd been that way since his mate had been taken from him. That was long before my time, and it was impossible for me to even imagine Marcus happy. He just always seemed detached. I'd often wondered what his place amongst the elders was; did he play an active part, or was he just there because he didn't know where else to go? Marcus was somewhat of a mystery among the Volturi. No one knew exactly what had happened to his wife or how he became this way. We just accepted his lack of involvement without question. To see any display of emotion in him was quite a shock. Before I could second-guess it, however, it was gone, and he wore his usual bored expression. Next to me, Demetri shifted uncomfortably, and I knew he dreaded what was coming. I couldn't spare him any sympathy, though; he'd brought this on himself.

Like it was so often, the room was silent for hours. Vampires never felt the need to speak as much as humans did, not about trivial things anyway. When there was no need for words, we simply enjoyed the silence of our thoughts. Eventually I heard footsteps coming from the corridor that led to this room. They sounded light, graceful, and I closed my eyes while imagining her elegant tread. The way her hair bounced with every step, the way her legs moved like they belonged to a ballerina. No doubt she was nervous, which probably meant she was chewing her thumbnail. When the door opened I took a moment to collect myself. I breathed deeply, the scent of her freshly washed hair filling my nostrils. Lilacs and lilies - the two most beautiful flowers in the world. I opened my eyes to find her standing before me, facing her uncle, who had come forward to greet her.

"I would like to go and visit my friends tonight, Uncle Aro. May I?"

"Of course, you may go out, my dear. Just have one of the guards walk you to the door and make sure that you let us know when you return, so someone can escort you inside."

He turned his back on her, and I had to control the urge to laugh when I noticed her roll her eyes at him.

"You will come with us now; we have studying to do." Jane indicated for Lucy to follow her and Alec out of the room. When she came closer, I averted my eyes back to the ground. I couldn't look at her; it was too painful. Right then the door opened, and I smelled the human before I even saw him. My heart plummeted when I realized it was the doctor. Lucy needed to get out of here quickly, before she heard too much. Demetri fidgeted uneasily beside me, and Jane and Alec looked panicked. The doctor walked straight over to Aro and extended his hand, which the elder took greedily. He released it only a second later.

"Ah, that is good news. Demetri, it is time. Please, follow the good doctor."

Lucy looked shocked, but before she could open her mouth to speak, Alec grabbed her forcefully by the arm and dragged her out of the room. Once she was out of earshot, Aro turned to Demetri.

"Do not let me down today." With a flick of his wrist, he dismissed Demetri, who looked like he would have vomited, had it been possible. He followed the doctor outside, and I watched him go. My heart grew heavy when I realized it wouldn't be long before it would be my turn.

I debated whether or not to return to Susanna, but eventually I decided against it. The silence in here was comforting somehow, and for a while, it was almost as if none of it had ever happened. I stood there, lost in my own thoughts, when Aro eventually addressed me.

"Felix, I think Lucy is ready. Will you be so kind as to take her to her friends?"

I nodded, unable to speak. Aro smiled, indicating his hand towards the door. I walked slowly, not sure whether or not I wanted to face her but fully aware that I had no choice. Ready or not, it was going to happen. Faster than I would have liked, I reached her door. I took a deep breath and knocked.

"Come in," her sweet voice answered.

I opened the door and stepped through, making sure to avoid meeting her eyes. I did a quick scan of her body, though, and she took my breath away, wearing a simple black dress with a flowing skirt and a green cardigan. Her hair fell loosely down her back in beautiful, soft curls, and I had to resist the urge to reach out and touch it.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Sure," she replied.

We walked to our destination in silence. I knew she was looking at me, so I kept my gaze strictly ahead. Relief filled me when we neared our destination, but I was shocked when she suddenly grabbed my elbow and forced me to stop. I had no choice but to look at her now; she looked upset.

"What's wrong with you?"

I tried to find the right answer, but I came up empty.

"What do you mean?" I eventually answered.

"You've hardly said a word to me since you came back; are you mad at me?"

I sighed, not sure how to respond to that. In truth, I was a bit angry at her, but I would never tell her that. I averted my eyes, unable to tolerate the hurt in hers. She completely took me by surprise when she grabbed my face and forced me to look her in the eye.

"Tell me, Felix."

I grabbed her wrist and tore her hand away.

"Leave it, Lucy," I grunted at her. I wished she would stop probing. I just wanted to get her outside so that I could get back to the silence of the Royal room. I turned and started walking towards the exit again.

"Don't walk away, please." Her voice was pleading, making my chest clench in anguish. I froze, and she took the opportunity to push me back against the wall. She was too close; her scent was overwhelming me. Her warm body was so near to mine, and I longed to touch her.

"Please don't." My words sounded weak, like a plea for mercy. I couldn't resist her, and she knew it.

"Don't what, Felix?" She spoke in a seductive whisper, and the very last of my resolve faded fast. She had me exactly where she wanted me. Her hand moved slowly up my arm, towards my neck. She pulled me to her, making my breath hitch.

"Will this help?" Her lips were so close to mine that I could feel the words come out, her sweet breath overpowering every rational thought.

"Yes," I was able to get out before I finally kissed her. Every thought of the events of the last few days left my mind. The army, Demetri, the island, and yes, even Susanna, no longer existed as I was finally, once again, kissing Lucy. My hands found their way to her soft, silky hair, relishing in the smoothness of it as the curls glided through my fingers. She ran her hands over my chest, then further down at an agonizing pace, and eventually, she reached my pants. When her hand found my cock and started rubbing it through the fabric, it took everything I had not to throw her down and take her right there on the floor. She broke the kiss and moaned, her eyes closed and her lips still moist from mine. In an effort to regain some control over the situation, I grabbed her and spun her around, so she was now pressed against the wall. Without thinking, my hands slid down her sides, until I found the hemline of her dress. I slipped one hand underneath and quickly ran it up the delicate skin of her thigh. My cock strained against her hand when I reached her panties. Here I had evidence of how much she wanted me; the dampness I felt against my fingertips proved it.

Her eager fingers made quick work of opening my pants, and I think I actually growled; when her hand found my cock and started moving up and down, I let my head drop to her collarbone to keep myself steady. The smell of her skin was so intoxicating that I couldn't think straight. She snapped me out of my trance by putting her hand on mine and guiding it further up, towards the place she wanted me most. I rubbed my fingers back and forth along her swollen folds, so evident, even through the fabric of her panties.

"Inside, please, Felix. I need you inside." Her breathing was going fast now, and I wasted no time in giving her what she wanted. I roughly pushed the material aside and plunged two fingers inside her. She felt so soft and warm that I nearly came undone right there.

"Yes, just like that." Her words were no more than a hiss. Her eyes were closed, her mouth open as she panted. I knew she was close to coming. I couldn't help myself and started pushing into her warm hand. At the same time, I let my thumb find its way to her clit, and the moment I touched it, I could feel her inner walls clench around my fingers. I couldn't help the sounds I produced as I felt my climax approaching. Lucy's body jerked slightly between me and the wall, and at that same moment, her insides contracted violently.

"Fuck, yes!"

I kept pumping her again and again, while she writhed against me. Her delicious moans filled the quiet hallway as she slowly came down from her climax. I felt my own release building quick, and I retracted my fingers from inside her. The second I did, she fell to her knees before me and immediately wrapped her lips around my cock. The mere sight of her kneeled before me was enough to make me explode into her mouth. My knees jerked, and for a moment, I thought they might give way, but I was able to stay standing as I released myself completely.

She stood up and wiped her mouth; the sexiest move I'd ever seen. She then adjusted her panties, smoothed her dress and smirked at me. Her hands cupped my face, and she gave me a gentle kiss.

"Better now?"

I smiled in response and pulled her in for a hug. All the tension I'd been feeling for the last few days was gone, and my heart soared at having her close. Especially after thinking I would never hold her again. After a few seconds, I released her and pointed her towards the door.

"The humans will be waiting."

It was my intention to just let her walk the rest of the way alone, but she grabbed my hand and pulled me with her. I was a bit reluctant; I had no interest in the humans, but I obliged her anyway. When we got outside, I noticed three figures; two boys and a tiny blonde-haired girl. I was used to the reactions I elicited from women, so it was no surprise that this girl was openly staring at me. I opened the gate for Lucy, and the girl immediately ran up to her.

"I'm so happy that you didn't get in trouble; we were worried when Johnny told us what happened last night."

Behind the embracing girls, the two guys stared at me; one with a mixture of fear and jealousy, the other with curiosity. I looked at the boy for a few seconds; his reactions seemed strange, different from most humans. I was used to people fearing us, and envy was something we often encountered, but this boy seemed to feel neither. He just seemed intrigued.

The girl released Lucy and looked up at me.

"Hi, I'm Gaby." She stuck out her hand, and I had to fight a chuckle at her blatant attempt to impress me. I took her hand and raised it to my mouth. She smelled nice, but nowhere near as good as Lucy. I realized I made a mistake when I felt her shiver.

"You're cold," she giggled, obviously still trying to flirt. I was relieved that she didn't seem to be too concerned with my temperature. Her eyes roamed my entire body, and I couldn't help but smirk a little. I was surprised, to say the least, when Lucy pressed herself against me and kissed me on the cheek. I gazed at her and saw something in her eyes that I'd only ever seen whenever she looked at Demetri. My heart swelled the tiniest bit.

"Will you be here when I get back?" Her eyes were almost pleading, and of course, I couldn't say no.

"If that is what you wish, I will be waiting when you return."

I turned quickly to hide the wide grin that was spreading across my face. She wanted me to come for her. Not Demetri, but me. I had a definite spring in my step as I made my way to the Elders. I had my Lucy back, and that was all that mattered. In my mind I was already going over the things we could do when she returned. I burst through the door, my grin still in place.

"Felix! There you are. We were just about to go and look for you."

Aro looked at me with glee, and it was only then that I noticed the human doctor beside him. My smile faltered.

"Susanna is ready for you. Go to her now, Felix. It is time."

And with those words, my world was once again torn apart.

* * *

I walked down into the catacombs like a man walking to the gallows. One foot in front of the other, step by step, I moved closer and closer to my destination. My otherwise impeccable vampire mind could not comprehend what I was about to do. _Create a child_. I winced at that thought as my legs kept moving automatically, closer and closer, one step at a time.

I froze when I suddenly found myself in the torch-lit tunnel that led to the women's chambers. Something inside me snapped, and a low moan escaped my lips. I put my palm up against the wall and hunched over slightly as my stomach heaved. Nothing would come, of course, but for the first time in over four hundred years, I felt like throwing up. My breathing was rapid as I fought to regain control over my body. I wasn't allowed to fall apart, not yet. I startled as a door opened in the distance. Elliana's soft cries filled the quiet halls before the door closed again. I heard footsteps coming in my direction, and I quickly straightened myself. Demetri rounded the corner and jumped when he noticed my presence. He froze and stared at me, a haunted look in his eyes.

"I take it it's your turn now?"

Unable to speak, I simply nodded. Demetri stepped closer. He looked confused for a split second before he cast me an angry look.

"You might want to consider taking a shower; I can smell her all over you."

With that he walked away quickly, leaving me horrified and desperate to cleanse myself. Susanna deserved better than me, better than _this_. Yet, she seemed so willing to die, and who was I to deny her that? I let out one, last shuddering sigh and pushed myself forward. I rounded the corner and walked slowly towards Susanna's room. Elliana's quiet sobs grew louder as I got closer. Her room was next to Susanna's, and with a shock, I realized she must've been able to hear the entire thing. Sure enough, when I opened the door, she sat trembling on the bed. Her face was paler than I'd ever seen it, and her eyes were terrified when she looked at me. I stopped in the doorway, unable to move forward.

"It's time, isn't it?"

Her words were no more than a hoarse whisper, and I could sense she was about to cry. All I could do was nod at her. I couldn't do this, not here, not with Elliana crying next door.

"Come," I grunted at her. She looked at me questioningly.

"Not here. I'm taking you somewhere else."

She stood up immediately and almost ran towards me.

"Yes, please." Her hand found mine, and she squeezed it hard; had I been human, it would have hurt me. I could feel her tremble, and I wanted to get her out of there fast. With one, swift motion, I lifted her off her feet and cradled her in my arms.

"Hold on tight."

I took off, running away from her dark cell. Her fingers had an iron grip on my sweater, and her eyes were wide and filled with fear. I moved quicker, and before long, we'd reached my room. Gently, I put her back on her feet and held her steady until she was able to stand on her own.

"That was…something else," she muttered.

I gave her a small smile as I pushed the door open and motioned her through. She stepped in and looked around the room, turning slowly on the spot, trying to take in every angle.

"Wow…this is very…old," she whispered as she took in my furniture. I looked around as well, something I hadn't really done in decades. My room was pretty much the same as it was centuries ago, when I moved in. Aro'd had it decorated for me by the humans that worked for him at the time. He'd told them to buy pieces from the time of my human life, to make me feel more at home. The truth was that even while I was alive, those lavish pieces had done nothing for me. The Elizabethan era was one of opulence and wealth, and even though I was born rich, I'd never really felt like I fit into that world. I didn't spend much time in my room, and when I did, it was mostly to read. The only thing I took pride in was my extensive book collection - famous pieces that I'd collected over the years, mostly first editions, of course. Susanna spotted them and walked over, her hand reaching toward them. She ran her finger over some of the spines before checking out some titles. I was behind her in a flash, reaching high above her and pulling out a book for her to see. She handled it carefully, first checking the back and then the cover. She gasped when she saw the title.

"Is this the original version?" she asked.

"Yes," I nodded, "Thomas Hardy gave it to me himself."

She looked at the very first edition of 'Jude, the Obscure' in her hands and then back at me in amazement.

"He gave this to you?"

"Yes, and now I'm giving it to you. Please take it." I smiled gently, trying to appease her. Her eyes were conflicted, and I knew she was thinking about declining it. "I won't take no for an answer; it's yours." I took off my cloak and turned from her to put it away, giving her no chance to argue.

"Thank you," she spoke softly. I took a deep breath before closing the heavy, solid oak doors of the wardrobe and facing her again.

"Susanna?"

She looked up from the book, which she now held open in her hands.

"Yes?"

"Would you mind if I take a shower?"

Her eyes roamed my body for a few seconds before coming back up to my face.

"No, of course not. Go ahead."

She immediately bent over the book again, her finger delicately tracing the paper. I left her there and entered my bathroom. I leaned into the door as I closed it behind me, trying to gather myself for a few seconds. My decision to bring her here had been the right one, for both of us. I knew Aro might not agree, but I also knew the Elder wouldn't voice his complaint, as long as I got the job done.

I showered quickly but thoroughly, making sure I erased every bit of evidence of what had occurred earlier. My anxiety rose again as I dried myself, and for the first time, I wondered if I was physically up for the task. I'd never had trouble performing before, but then again, the pressure had never been this high. Deciding against dressing myself, I wrapped the towel around me and opened the door that connected the two rooms. Susanna was sitting cross-legged on my bed, deeply engrossed in the story she'd already read so many times. She looked up when I entered, and her eyes widened. Her mouth opened slightly as she took me in, and I heard her heartbeat accelerate. I slowly made my way over to the bed and sat down next to her.

Now that I had gotten this far, I suddenly found myself unsure of what to do. I sat, unmoving, trying to figure out my next move. She carefully put the book aside and turned to me. Her hand found its way onto my arm where she gently squeezed my marble skin. Her fingers then traced a warm path from my forearm to my shoulder and back. She sighed deeply as she pulled back her hand and placed it on her lap. I averted my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to find the strength to go through with this. When I looked up again, Susanna was unbuttoning her blouse. I quickly put my hand on hers to stop her, but she shook her head.

"Let me do this, Felix."

I retracted my hand, and she stood up before me. She looked me in the eye as she undressed. I noticed her hands tremble as she unclasped her bra, but I was afraid to reach out to her. She sucked in a quivering breath before pulling down her last item of clothing. She then righted herself and stood before me, naked. Regardless of the situation, I couldn't help but feel aroused at the sight of her smooth, porcelain skin, and her curvy figure. Susanna was definitely a beautiful woman, and I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt that it would be me that would take that beauty from the world. Susanna stood uncomfortably before me, a deep blush colouring her cheeks. I reached out my hands and pulled her closer. I'd done this so many times before, with women I'd known for no longer than five minutes. I didn't understand why it was bothering me so much this time.

"Felix, lay back." She pushed against my chest, and I did as she asked. The towel was still between us as we both scooted up the bed. My hands were on her thighs, and I looked up at her, unsure of what to do. She leaned over slightly, looking nervous.

"How do you want to do this?" she asked, her voice trembling.

I contemplated her question for a moment, before lifting her hips and turning her onto her back. I pulled the towel from between us and tossed it across the room. Susanna chastely averted her eyes. I lowered myself on top of her, surprised at how ready my body was. She looked in my eyes as she situated herself beneath me.

"Please tell me if I hurt you."

She nodded and wrapped her hands around my upper arms. I positioned myself and looked in her eyes again to be certain that she was okay. She gave me a small smile, urging me forward. I took a deep breath and entered her. Susanna gasped, and her nails clawed at my arms. I stopped my movements.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

"Yes," she whispered, "Yes, I'm good, Felix. Trust me. Go on."

I resumed my movements, picking up the pace when she started moving with me. Her legs wrapped around me, and I was surprised with how responsive she seemed, though it did soothe my conscious somewhat. We moved in unison now, her breath coming in gasps. I lowered my head into the crook of her neck, pressing my nose against the pulse point there. She smelled sweet, like honey somehow, and I had to resist the urge to lick her skin.

"Felix," Susanna breathed.

I lifted my head to look at her. She cupped my face in her hands.

"Kiss me."

I didn't hesitate; I would have given her anything she wanted right now. She'd been so forthcoming, and in all honesty, this felt good. Her lips were warm and pliant against mine, like so many of the human women I'd been with before. This was different though; where I'd usually been the initiator and the dominant one, Susanna now seemed to be holding the strings. She pulled her mouth away from mine and let out a small moan. I didn't stop kissing her, instead moving my lips down over her soft skin, touching every peak and valley. Susanna arched beneath me, another moan escaping her.

"Felix," she panted, her eyes closed. Her cheeks were flushed, and a couple of loose strands of hair were covering her face. I lifted my hand and gently brushed them aside. Her eyes opened and found mine. We stared at each other, both of us very aware of what we were doing. _Creating life_. Her fingers roamed my face, stroking my eyelids, my cheekbones and coming to rest on my lips. I placed a kiss against her fingertips, and she smiled. I held her gaze for a few more seconds before I felt the unmistakable signs of my approaching release. I buried my face in the crook of her neck and moved my hand to where our bodies connected. Susanna gasped, her hands pulling at my hair. Her release came quickly, making her quiver beneath me. I followed immediately after, her name falling from my lips.

I hovered over her, my face still buried in her neck. I didn't dare look up; I was too ashamed at what I'd done. She gently stroked my hair and pressed her lips to my forehead, letting them linger there. The guilt I felt was indescribable; it literally hurt. It was like something was wrapped tight around my chest, making it almost impossible to breathe, and though I didn't need the air, it still felt as if I was suffocating.

"I'm so sorry," I choked out.

"What? Felix, no." She sounded amazed, which only made me feel worse. She shouldn't be this nice to me, not after I'd just murdered her. She might not have been dead yet, but the seed had been planted, and soon this wonderful creature would cease to exist because of me.

"I'm sorry; I'm so sorry." I repeated the words again and again while she tried to soothe me. Never had I longed for the ability to sleep as I did now - just a few hours to escape this nightmare - but I couldn't. This was my punishment. I would never have peace again, for the rest of eternity.

* * *

**Special thanks to YOU, my fabulous readers and reviewers! Thank you to the ones that already voted for me in the Vampies, it's very much appreciated. If you haven't, there's still time. Go to http: (double slash) twificpics (dot) com (slash) vampawards (slash)**

**The best beta on the planet, Jkane180 - I love you, sweetie.**

**Megsly (angelicwish) - Write the smut. NAO.**


	5. Goodbye to You Part I

**Warning: Tissues might be needed**

**Stephenie Meyer owns everything Twilight. I own Lucy, Susanna, Elliana, Heather, Caius' unnamed victim and four unborn hybrids. I'll be a fic-mommy soon, yay!**

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* * *

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_Goodbye to you_  
_Goodbye to everything I thought I knew_  
_You were the one I loved_  
_The one thing that I tried to hold on to_

_-Michelle Branch  
_

* * *

The first thing that brought me back to reality was Susanna's trembling body. She shivered uncontrollably beneath me, and with a shock, I realized it was my fault. I rolled off her and covered her with the sheets. She looked at me, her teeth chattering violently. I moved away further, taking my cold, hard body away from hers. Eventually, the shivering ceased, and she seemed a bit more comfortable. She rolled onto her side and propped herself up on her elbow. I covered my lower half with the sheets, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"Are you okay, Felix?"

It didn't feel right to have her ask me that; I wasn't the one that mattered right now.

"Are you?" I retorted.

She smiled and stretched.

"Yes, I'm good. A bit sore maybe and very tired."

"You should sleep."

Susanna nodded and lay back down. Her eyes closed for a second before she opened them again and looked at me.

"Will you stay?" she asked, her voice hesitant.

"Yes," I nodded. I couldn't bring myself to leave her now.

She snuggled into the sheets and sighed contently. Sleep found her soon, and she appeared peaceful. I looked at her in wonder. Her body kept my child; the more I thought about that, the harder it was to comprehend. I looked down at her stomach, covered by the sheets, and wondered how long it would be before it became visible. I strained my ears for evidence of another life but heard nothing. I supposed it was too soon. I leaned my head against the pillow and looked at the ceiling. So many different emotions were warring inside me. Only a short while ago, I'd had hope that Lucy might finally see me the same way I saw her. None of that mattered anymore because what I'd just done would make it impossible for us to ever be together. I sighed deeply, stirring tiny particles of dust into the air. I watched as they moved, changing color depending on how the light caught them. They rose and swerved through the air before landing on the floor.

My mind reeled at the gravity of it all. I longed for the carefree days before the Cullens had made the elders aware of the possibilities of breeding with humans. Things had been mundane, simple, boring even, but I'd had my brother beside me, no love to break my heart and no responsibilities other than answering to Aro. Too many people depended on me now; they needed me to be strong, and I couldn't; I was falling apart. I glanced at Susanna again. Being with her had been easier than I'd expected. It was amazing how quickly I'd become accustomed to her presence. It soothed me somehow; her caring touch, her kind words. She never judged me, not like I judged myself. She looked beautiful as she slept, her lips slightly parted, her breath blowing at a stray strand of hair. I lifted my hand and moved the strand from her face so it wouldn't be bothering her. She deserved her sleep, unlike me. Never, in all my centuries as an immortal, had I felt more like a monster than I did now.

Towards the morning Susanna stirred, stretching her arms above her head. The sheets slid down, revealing her breasts, and I couldn't help but look. She caught me and giggled before pulling the sheets back up. She rolled onto her side to face me, a lazy smile across her face.

"How did you sleep?" I asked her, trying to be polite.

"Wonderfully," she replied, stretching again but making sure her body remained covered this time.

"Good. Can I get you anything?" My speech felt oddly formal, considering what we'd shared last night, but even if she'd noticed, she didn't acknowledge it.

"I'm pretty hungry," she admitted. "Actually, I'm craving a ham, cheese and tomato omelette."

"I'll make sure you get it," I chuckled. I sat up, wondering whether or not to cover myself. In the end, I decided against it; modesty had never been an issue for me, and even if the situation with Susanna was different, she'd already seen all of me, and there was no need to hide. I dressed quickly, without looking back. I knew she was watching me as I heard her heartbeat speed up a couple of times. As soon as I was fully clothed, I turned to face her.

"I have to report to Aro. I'll make sure you get your food and tell the doctor to check you out."

I turned towards the door, but before my hand touched the knob, she called out to me.

"Felix, are you sure you're okay with this?"

I took a moment to collect myself before facing her.

"I will be," I answered as truthfully as I could.

* * *

"Splendid! Everything is going according to plan."

Aro smiled widely as he released my hand. He turned from me and clapped his hands in glee. Behind his back, I clenched my fists in anger. His obvious disregard for the women sickened me, and I wanted nothing more than to get away from him to be alone for a while. As I opened my mouth to speak, the door behind me opened and the smell of flowers quickly filled the room. I closed my eyes and inhaled greedily, letting her scent assail my senses. By the time she reached me, I'd regained my composure and stared at the wall opposite me, carefully avoiding her eyes. I could feel her gaze upon me, but when I continued to ignore her, she turned and addressed her uncle.

"I have some news, Uncle Aro."

I watched as he sat back down on his throne and gestured for her to continue.

"I've been invited to a masquerade ball at the Oliviera mansion, three weeks from now. With your permission, I would like to attend."

"That is excellent news, my dear Luciana. Of course you may attend. Do you have an escort?"

"Yes, Uncle. Jonathan Astor has invited me as his guest."

Jonathan Astor. I supposed he was one of the boys that she was with last night. Though I doubted that she was actually romantically involved with this boy, I couldn't help the twinge of jealousy I felt. It also made me feel like the biggest hypocrite in the world; I had no right to feel anything regarding Lucy's activities, not after what I'd just done.

Aro and Lucy exchanged details about the ball for a little while, but I zoned out, not wanting to hear it. My mind kept going back to Susanna, and I wondered how she was doing. Moments after Lucy left for her studies, I excused myself as well and made my way back to my room. Aro had not commented on the fact that I'd taken her out of the dungeon, so I supposed he was okay with it for now. I was happy about that, since there was no way I was bringing her back to that cell. The least I could do was make sure she was as comfortable as possible in these last few weeks of her life.

Susanna was sitting propped up against the pillows when I entered the room. She appeared to be wearing one of my shirts. It was too big for her, covering most of her body. She caught me looking and smiled apologetically.

"I hope you don't mind. I didn't want to put the same clothes back on. I've been wearing them ever since they took me to the island."

I nodded, inwardly chastising myself for being too preoccupied to notice. Paying better attention, I could see she'd showered and cleaned herself up.

"I'll see if I can get you some clothes that fit you better." I wondered if Lucy's stuff would fit her. Lucy's wardrobe was quite extensive, and I doubted she would miss anything I took.

"Thank you; that would be nice. Though I doubt it matters since I'll be big as a house soon. The doctor left right before you came. Everything looks good."

My eyes roamed back to her stomach again, which was still as flat as it had been this morning.

"Did the doctor confirm the pregnancy?"

"Oh, yes! Congratulations, Felix. You're going to be a father."

I froze as I processed her words. This was really happening; Susanna was carrying my child. In a few weeks, I would be a father. There was no going back now, no way to ignore it any longer. I don't know how long I stood there, but suddenly Susanna stood in front of me, looking worried.

"Felix?"

Without thinking, I enclosed her in my arms and hugged her as tightly as I could without hurting her. She gasped in surprise before giggling against my chest.

"Are you feeling okay? Any sickness or pain?"

I pushed her away from me, holding her arms and looking her up and down. She giggled again and shook her head.

"Honestly, Felix, I'm fine. The doctor says I'm very healthy."

"Good," I replied, feeling relieved. "Please tell me if there's anything I can do."

She cocked her head, as if contemplating the question, before smirking at me.

"I'm good. You have like a million books to read. I'm sure I can find some good ones in there to keep me entertained."

She turned and walked towards my book collection, scanning the books one by one while I stood there, unsure of what to do. Eventually, I decided to just sit down and keep her company. She smiled at me before sitting back on the bed and opening her book. I watched her as she read. For now, this is where I needed to be.

* * *

For a week, I spent most of my time with Susanna, mesmerized by the changes her body was going through. Her breasts were growing, her stomach had started to protrude ever so slightly, and she slept a lot more than usual. Other than that, she'd hardly experienced any of the normal pregnancy symptoms. She'd only been sick a couple of times, and so far, she'd retained her cheerful disposition. The pile of books on the nightstand grew bigger and bigger as she devoured all her favourites, and some that she'd not previously read yet. Sometimes she would read aloud for my amusement, and I found myself enjoying the sound of her voice. That particular morning, she'd just finished a chapter of 'Hamlet' when I heard a strange sound.

"What is that?" I asked, looking for the source of the buzzing noise that grew more distinct now that I was paying attention to it.

"What's what?" Susanna asked, a confused look on her face.

"That noise…It seems to be coming from over here." I walked over to where she sat, looking around her, up at the ceiling and even under the bed.

"I don't hear anything." She was searching as well, trying to hear what I was looking for, but I figured that whatever it might be, it was too faint for her human ears to pick up. Right at that moment, something dawned on me.

"Sit still," I told Susanna, and she complied, although she still looked confused. I moved towards her, straining my ears. Sure enough, the buzzing got louder the closer I got to her. I kneeled before the bed, turned my head to the side and put my ear against her stomach. Emotions overwhelmed me as I realized I was listening to the heartbeat of my child. A strong, fast thrum, indicating a life I helped create. My hands reached out, gently touching her stomach.

"Felix?" Susanna's voice sounded slightly anxious, and when I looked up into her eyes I found her looking down at me nervously.

"It's the baby, Susanna. I can hear it." My voice was so full of wonder that I had difficulty recognizing it as my own. Above me, Susanna gasped, her hand clasping mine over her tiny bulge.

"You can hear it?"

I nodded, unable to speak.

"What does it sound like?"

I listened intently for a few moments before answering.

"Strong," was the only answer I could eventually give. We sat in silence for a long time, until Susanna stirred. I moved up and sat down next to her.

"I wish I could hear it," she muttered, seeming somewhat put-out. I grabbed her hand and lifted it, pressing my lips gently against her fingers.

"I wish you could too."

She sighed deeply, and for once, her ever-present smile was gone. I cupped her cheek and turned up her head to make her look at me.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded, but I saw sadness in her eyes.

"Felix, can you do something for me?"

"Anything," I answered.

"They allowed me to bring my bag, but it's still down there. Would you mind getting it for me? There are some things in there that I would really like to have with me."

"Of course. I'll go right now."

I leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you," she whispered.

o-O-o

I made my way down, intent on getting in and out as quick as possible; I had no desire to linger there. The moment I entered the dungeons however, I heard Elliana cry. I tried to ignore it while I went into Susanna's cell. I quickly found her bag and grabbed it. The sobs grew louder; a gut-wrenching sound that tore straight through me. After the miracle I'd witnessed today, the fact that she was down here, alone and crying, enraged me to such an extent that I decided on the spot to confront Demetri about his actions. My feet pounded through the castle as I made my way to his room. It was time he grew up and took some responsibility.

My fist hit the door with heavy thuds. I heard him scurry around before the door finally opened. In less then a second I had him pinned against the back wall, my hand tightly wrapped around his throat. My anger was fuelled even more when the familiar and delicious scent of flowers hit my nose.

"What the fuck, Felix?" Demetri grabbed my arm, trying to peel me off him, but I just pressed down harder.

"You sick son of a bitch," I spat, ignoring his attempts to pry me off. His eyes bulged, and there was obvious fear in his eyes.

"Stop," he whispered, his voice strained. I leaned in, bringing my face close to his.

"Elliana is down there, alone and crying, yet you're up here, acting as if none of this is happening. She's carrying _your_ child, Demetri. You're going to be a father very soon. It's time you start acting like one."

I released him suddenly, making him fall to the floor. He quickly jumped up and started advancing on me. I immediately crouched in defence, ready to take him on if needed.

"You can't stand it, can you? That she wants me more than she wants you?"

I growled at his change of subject, making him grin wide.

"Stay away from Lucy. She doesn't need you."

We circled each other now, ready to strike.

"What do you know about what she needs, Felix? She wants me, and you can't stand it. Admit it."

He was taunting me, trying to get me to attack. I contemplated it for a second but didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

"I'm not afraid to admit my feelings for her. I keep my distance though. Have you even for one _second_ considered what this is going to do to her when this all comes out? How she'll react to the fact that we've been making hybrid babies behind her back?"

Demetri's eyes shifted back and forth between me and the floor. Guilt spread across his features as he stopped moving and relaxed his stance.

"I know." His voice sounded defeated, and he turned away from me. "I don't know what to do. You handle everything with such ease; stepping away from Lucy, being with Susanna, the baby… Elliana hates me, and I don't know how to fix that. Every time I try, she just shuts down. I can't reach her."

His voice was barely above a whisper by the time he finished talking. I relaxed as well, understanding his struggle.

"Please, just go to Elliana. She's scared and alone. Be nice to her. Don't force anything; just be with her."

He nodded gravely. I turned to leave when he spoke again.

"This is going to break Lucy's heart, isn't it?"

"Yes," I replied without turning before quickly leaving his room.

* * *

Another week passed, bringing more changes. Now halfway into her pregnancy, Susanna's belly was noticeably round. The baby's heartbeat grew stronger with each day, and the sound soothed me beyond belief. Every free moment was spent in Susanna's presence, and I was quickly becoming used to the idea of being a father. Susanna, on the other hand, seemed to retreat inside herself more and more as time progressed. She always had her bag close to her now, almost as if she were guarding it. She never showed me what was inside, but I guessed it was important to her. I didn't bring it up, and nor did she, though I did wonder what she was keeping from me. I allowed her secrecy; I knew she would talk to me if she needed to.

To my relief, Demetri had taken Elliana out of her cell and into his room. He'd actually made a valiant effort to get to know her, though their relationship was still strained. The stress she'd endured during her lonely stay in the dungeon had caused some complications; she'd been bleeding a couple of times and was running a fever. The doctor had ordered her on bed rest, so she slept most of the time. Demetri realized that her condition was partly his fault, and I had to admit, he did his best to make her as comfortable as possible. This eased my mind, and I was happy I'd decided to confront him.

Amidst all of this, Lucy was still blissfully unaware. She'd tried to reach out to me on a couple of occasions, but I avoided her as much as I could. This was a hard thing to do since I still longed to be with her, but it felt wrong somehow. I knew she was going to end up hating me for what I'd done, and rightfully so. Lucy still visited her human companions every night, and I was happy to know that she'd found friendship with them. She seemed to be looking forward to the ball she would be attending, and she spent a great deal of time with Jane preparing for it. She would look beautiful, no matter what she wore. Jonathan Astor was a lucky man.

As much as I tried to avoid her, Aro still had me accompany her on occasion. During those times, I only spoke whenever she asked me a direct question, and eventually, she stopped trying to get me to talk altogether. There was a sadness in her eyes that was almost unbearable, especially since I knew I'd caused it. I wanted nothing more than to take it away and make it better. The longer I tried to stay away from her, the harder it was to resist her. I was okay as long as I was around Susanna, but the moment I stepped out of my room, all I could think of was Lucy.

On this particular evening, Aro had me keep her company while she ate. I watched her from the corner of my eye as she played with her food. She looked as miserable as I felt. When she finally pushed her plate away from her, she'd hardly eaten a thing. We walked to her room in silence, and the moment we reached it, I turned to leave.

"Felix, will you please keep me company for a while?"

Her question was so out of the blue that it shocked me. She sounded nervous, and when I turned to face her, I saw the apprehension on her face. My resolve to stay away from her faltered, and I gave in and followed her into the room. She sat down on the bed, looking nervous, and patted the space next to her. I sat down beside her and sighed, unsure of what to do next. I didn't know what she wanted from me, and I realized I should probably have denied her request. It was too late now though. I startled when she suddenly threw her arms around me and hugged me close. I leaned into her, savouring the contact, her skin warming mine. Eventually, I released her, looking into her the eyes for the first time in what seemed like forever.

"I'm so sorry, Lucy." I had to say it, even if I couldn't tell her why.

"For what? You have nothing to be sorry for." She looked confused, and I couldn't blame her. I averted my eyes again; it was just easier not to look at her. I was surprised when she slid herself onto my lap and tilted my face so I had no choice but to meet her eyes.

"Felix, please. You're scaring me. What's wrong?"

She sounded hurt and anxious, which pained me more than I would have believed possible. I wanted to be able to love her so badly, to just hold her and kiss her and forget everything else that was going on. But as she leaned in to kiss me, I thought of Susanna and our baby and what this would do to Lucy. I pushed her back and lifted her off me.

"We can't do this anymore," I told her, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Why? Is it…Is it because of Demetri?"

Demetri. Of course she would think of him; she couldn't be aware of the real reason why we couldn't be together.

"I won't deny that I wish the situation was different. I know I would have been better for you, Lucy."

The fact that I used the past tense didn't go unnoticed by her, and I watched her face fall.

"Would have been…"

Her evident pain forced me to reach out to her. I clasped her tiny hands in mine, and I noticed they were trembling slightly. I wanted so much to explain everything to her, but I couldn't; I wasn't allowed.

"Something's come up. Something that makes me unable to continue this…whatever this is."

"Why?" Her voice broke, and tears were welling up in her eyes. Without thinking, I reached out my hand and stroked her cheek.

"I can't tell you that, not now, but please trust me when I say that this was not my choice. The last thing I want to do is hurt you."

I wanted to be with her. I wanted everything and everyone else to disappear so that it could just be me and her. I would have given almost anything for that. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and I wish I could've cried along with her. I needed to grieve over losing her. The pain just seemed to congest now, unable to find a proper outlet.

"Please," she pleaded, her voice desperate. When her shaking hand reached out to my face, I lost all my restraint and pulled her close. She collapsed on my lap, crying on my shoulder. I wanted to make it better. I wanted to tell her that I was wrong, that we could still be together, but that would be a lie, and she'd heard too many lies already in her short life. I owed her honesty, no matter how much it hurt us both. I gently lifted her and cupped her face in my hands.

"I'm so sorry; you have no idea."

I shouldn't have, it was wrong, but I couldn't stop myself; I kissed her. She immediately responded and kissed me back passionately. The touch of her lips felt like coming home, and every other thought was forced from my mind for a long moment before reality crept back in. I reluctantly broke the kiss and rested my head against her shoulder. Her hands were stroking my hair, soothing me. I wasn't the one that needed it though, and I certainly wasn't the one that deserved it.

"Felix." Her whisper startled me slightly. The sadness in her voice matched the sadness in my heart. "Stay with me tonight? Just one more night, please?"

I looked up into her eyes. How could I deny her anything? Just one last night - one last chance to be with her. I wanted it more than anything. Could I be this selfish? I already knew the answer to that... Pushing every thought of Susanna and the baby aside, I gave in to my need for Lucy.

"One more night."

I hugged her close, holding her tight. Her body was so soft compared to mine. I closed my eyes and breathed in, letting her scent take me over. It swerved around my brain, clouding over everything else. For as long as I continued to exist, I never wanted to forget this night. This was the last time I'd be able to hold her, to feel her against me like this. Again, I missed the ability to shed tears.

I felt her shift on my lap, and when I looked up, I saw she was fumbling around with her phone. I didn't know why, nor did I care. She tossed it on her nightstand and turned back to face me. Her hands stroked my hair as she tenderly pressed her lips to my forehead. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply. I felt the air fill my chest, and held it there for a few moments before pushing it out in a long and steady gust. It felt cleansing for just a moment, before the grief once again filled the void. I ran my hands over her body, hating the fabric that was keeping me from touching her skin. The more I touched her, the more of her I needed to feel, and soon, I became almost desperate in my need. Lucy's hands were doing the same, tugging at my clothes, trying to pull me impossibly closer. The way she was now positioned enabled me to push myself up against that place where I so desperately wanted to lose myself. I leaned in and kissed the sensitive skin of her throat, sucking gently every now and again. Her head fell back, and, at the same time, she started moving her hips. The friction it created felt so good that I couldn't help the moan that escaped me. She struggled in my arms, and when I reluctantly tore myself away from her, I noticed she was trying to take off her shirt. I quickly helped her out of it and tore off my own as well. Lucy reached behind her back and hastily took off her bra.

I lifted her up and laid her down on the bed. She clung to me, not willing to let me go, which was more than okay with me. Some of her hair covered her face, and I gently brushed the locks aside. Her hands reached up and cupped my cheeks. I could hear her heartbeat beneath me, speeding up as her eyes found mine. She stared at me intently, and I couldn't help but stare back. Her green eyes looked like emeralds, with a rust-coloured ring around the pupil that almost looked like fire. I'd never taken the time to see every detail in them, but now they would be embedded in my mind forever.

I kissed her, starting with her forehead, then her cheeks, and finally, her lips. For once, she didn't fight me; she didn't urge for more. Instead, she embraced the unspoken love behind it and returned it with equal force. Eager to touch every part of her one last time, I pulled away from her mouth and started a trail down her body. The sweet taste of her skin, combined with her intoxicating scent, caused my head to spin. My lips touched the softness of her breasts, and I enjoyed the warmth and smoothness against my lips. I lingered there, only for a little while before moving further down, until I reached her hips. Swiftly, I took off her jeans and panties, leaving her naked before me. Desperate to feel all of her against me, I rid myself of my clothes as well. We gazed at each other, both of us unable to express what we were feeling. Words weren't needed, though; I knew exactly what she was going through as I was right there with her. When I reached out to her, she took my hand in wonder. She brought it to her lips and kissed each of my fingertips. The gesture spoke louder than any words could have done. She snuggled into my hand, and I caressed her cheek. I moved closer, resting my forehead against hers, and sighed deeply.

"Is there really no way? I'll give up Demetri, I promise."

Her eyes were full of determination, and I knew she would've done it. If it wasn't for Aro and his sick plans, I would've been able to be with her. It made me despise the Elder, something that surprised me. I'd never questioned him or his decisions, until the day that Lucy's mother was taken prisoner. My loyalty was rapidly fading, leaving nothing but disgust for the men I'd pledged to serve for the rest of my existence. Too many lives were affected by their lust for power, and I no longer wished to be a part of this world. It was too late though; everything had been set in motion, and I was powerless to stop it.

"No, Lucy, it's impossible. I'm so sorry."

Tears were flowing down here face now, and I bent down to kiss them. They clung to my face, dampening my cheeks. It felt right, almost as if she was crying for both of us.

"I'm sorry too." Her sobs tore straight through me, leaving a ragged hole. There was no need for her to apologize; she'd done nothing wrong. She was just another innocent victim in all this. I shook my head, unable to speak the words, and she smiled sadly. I knew she understood that there was no hope for us.

Finally, I kissed her, trying to convey everything I wasn't able to say out loud. There were so many things I wanted to tell her, but it was too late; saying the words would only complicate things further. So I chose not to speak, instead just showing her how I felt. I moved over her, spreading her legs with my knee. Never breaking eye contact, I entered her slowly, savouring the moment. Her tears were still flowing, and every now and again, a quiet sob escaped her. I wanted to make her feel better, if only for a little while. I leaned in and kissed her passionately. Desire to feel her as close as possible overruled everything else as we moved together, faster and faster. My lips only left hers for a couple of seconds at a time to allow her to breathe, and even that seemed too long. She felt so good beneath me, around me, surrounding me. My hands did an almost desperate exploration of her body, trying to touch every part and commit it to memory. I never wanted to forget what it felt like to be with her. She was the first girl I'd ever had feelings for - the first girl I ever loved.

_I love you._

I let those three words run through my mind over and over again while I gave myself to her for the last time. We found our release together, in each other's arms. She held onto me so tight, and I returned her embrace with as much force as her body would allow. Eventually, I had to let her go. I didn't want to; I wanted to stay here forever in her arms. The time had come, though, and I had to say goodbye, no matter how much it pained me.

"Felix… don't… don't leave… please…"

Her tears were mine as she once again cried in earnest. I pushed myself from her and moved off the bed. I tried not to look at her naked and fragile body, shaking with sobs. I gathered my clothes and got dressed, my heart heavy in my chest. When I was done, I stopped for a second. I knew I had to leave, but I couldn't bring myself to do it just yet. Instead, I sat down on the edge of the bed, bowing my head in my hands. She launched herself at me, crying hysterically. I sat frozen, unable to do anything. She pulled and clawed at my clothes, pressing her tear soaked face against my neck. She begged and pleaded, saying my name over and over again. I don't know how long I sat there, but eventually, she collapsed against me. I lifted her up and lay her back down on the bed. Every now and again, a sob escaped her as I covered her with the sheets. Her eyes were closed, her expression pained.

"Sleep now, Lucy." I kissed the top of her head, letting my lips linger there for just a moment. I stepped away from her, looking down at her sleeping form just one last time. As I turned to leave, it felt as if I was leaving my heart with her, in this room. I walked towards my room, towards Susanna and my baby. The past was done; my future was what mattered now.

* * *

**Oh, but wait, there's more...Coming up in part II of this chapter. We all remember what happened in Fallen Princess around this time, don't we? **

**Thank you to:**

**Jkane180 - For being married to Mr. Math and helping me with pregnancy timelines. This made my research so much easier. Also, I love you *mwah***

**SusanAshlea - My stick equivalent is currently hanging out with her. I feel so special :-) **

**Jules - Who's making her hot husband into a stick-boyfriend for stick-me. *giggle* **

**Megsly (angelicwish) - Where the hell is that pic you promised me? **

**Fic rec: Love my Felix? Then you should read Finding Forever by SusanAshlea. That story is the reason why my Felix went from womanizer to lover. I love it something fierce and so will you. **


	6. Goodbye to You Part II

"Where have you been?"

Susanna's voice, while still gentle, held accusation, something I wasn't used to from her. When I looked at her, I noticed she was pale and sweating. Her expression was pained, and she was panting slightly. I rushed over to her.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?"

Her arms were wrapped tight around her belly, and I gently pried at them. I gasped when I noticed the bruises there.

"What happened?"

"Kicking," Susanna gasped, and at the same time, I saw something move underneath her skin. I realized her body might need blood sooner than the other women had. So far I'd been able to put it off; I'd not even shared this grizzly detail of pregnancy with her. I had to approach it with caution.

"Susanna, honey, the baby is craving nutrition."

"I've been eating, I swear, but nothing seems to fill me up!" She looked anxious. I took a deep breath, afraid of how she might take the news.

"The baby is craving something different; something… more like… my diet."

She stared at me for a long time, her mouth slightly agape. Eventually she spoke, her voice no more than a whisper.

"It wants blood?"

I nodded once.

"How?"

"You drink it. Don't worry; it'll be in a cup. You won't have to drink it the way we do."

She snorted and then winced when the baby kicked her again. It took her a few moments to catch her breath.

"That's the sickest thing I've ever heard. Why haven't you told me about this?"

For the first time since she'd been with me, I saw anger in her eyes. I hung my head in shame, knowing I deserved it, even more so than Susanna could know. She reached out and clasped my shirt, while at the same time trying to move herself up so she was closer to me.

"Answer me, Felix! I'm done with your martyr act. You feel bad; I get it. Now, be honest with me. Were you with Lucy?"

Taken aback by the hostility in her voice, I was momentarily speechless. I just kept looking at her fragile hand on my shirt, tugging with so much force I could see the fabric stretch almost to the point of tearing. She hissed as the baby kicked her ribs once more, forcing her to release me and fall back against the pillows.

"Fine," she spat. "Don't tell me. It's not like I don't know. I can smell her, you know. Sickly sweet; like flowers."

"I'm sorry," I whispered, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Save it. The words have kind of lost their meaning to me. Now go get the blood; we wouldn't want _our_ baby to go hungry."

She glared at me, her eyes dark as she spat out those last words. I didn't miss their hidden message, but even though I felt awful for not being with her, I still didn't regret the time I'd just spent with Lucy. I stood up awkwardly and nodded.

"I'll be right back."

I took my time getting the blood; I wasn't looking forward to going back to Susanna. She'd always been so accommodating and nice, and I realized now that I'd taken it for granted. It was a miracle she hadn't snapped earlier, considering what she was forced to go through. I'd pushed things too far tonight, and I would have to work hard to make it up to her. She was exactly where I left her when I returned, and she still looked miserable. I sat down next to her, holding the cup. She looked at it, apprehension in her eyes.

"Why is it in a cup?"

"Something Aro picked up somewhere. This way it doesn't seem so…" I struggled to find the right words.

"Disgusting? Horrible? Monstrous?"

I nodded, silently agreeing with all of her words. She reached for the cup, and I handed it over.

"There's a straw and everything. Nice." She snorted before bringing the cup up to her nose. Her eyes widened in surprise as she moved the cup away from her and held it at arm's length. She seemed to be struggling with something for a few moments. Eventually, she brought the cup back to her nose and sniffed again.

"How can it smell so good?" She looked at me in shock. I couldn't help but feel relieved, if only a little.

"The baby craves it, and as the baby is part of you, you crave it too."

She brought the straw to her mouth, hesitating for a slight second. I nodded at her in encouragement. With a long draw, she took the first sip. Immediately, she followed with a second, then a third, and before long, she'd finished the cup. I took it from her as she leaned back against the pillows, already looking a lot better than before.

"I can't believe that worked." She looked incredulous as she stared off into the distance.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked tentatively. She nodded, her eyes drooping.

"Rest, Susanna. You need it."

She didn't fight me but, instead, snuggled into the sheets. She rolled over onto her side, facing away from me. Her hands were rubbing her belly in what looked like an effort to soothe her pain. I hesitated for a moment before reaching out and putting my hand where hers were; I knew the cold would help ease the pain. She gasped but didn't pull away. I heard her breathing slow as she relaxed, and I thought she was drifting off. I startled when she spoke, her voice hardly above a whisper.

"Felix, the blood… where did it come from?"

I cringed, knowing the answer wouldn't be what she wanted to hear.

"Please try not to think about it."

She sighed deeply and nodded, once again going silent. It didn't take long before she fell asleep. I stayed with her, my hand remaining on her belly. Every now and again I felt a nudge, hinting at the life beneath. The blood seemed to have soothed the baby, as it was a lot calmer now. I smiled as something softly touched my hand. It was the first contact I'd had with my child. Susanna had been able to feel it for a while now, but I'd always refrained from touching her out of fear she wouldn't appreciate it. I took advantage of those few hours that Susanna slept, not knowing how she would react to me once she awoke. I knew I had a lot to make up for.

O-o-O

Days passed, bringing nothing new, apart from Susanna's physical changes. She was still secretive, and her mood swings were violent. One moment she would be happy and chatty, the next she would be distant and almost hostile. I found that these shifts directly related to her hunger, or rather, thirst. She'd taken to drinking blood faster and with more ease than I would've ever thought. Drinking a cup every five hours now, she was able to keep herself and the baby satisfied. I had to admit, it made me happy either way. The way the baby had bruised her before had made me fearful of how this pregnancy would progress, but the blood seemed to keep him or her calm enough to not hurt Susanna any further.

Heather was nearing her due date, and Aro got more and more excited with each passing day. His wife, Sulpicia, awaited the birth as eagerly as he did, delighted to play mother to a child she had no hand in creating. Heather was much the same as she was when we left the island; catatonic and needing to be kept alive by the doctors. She really was nothing more than an incubator as her mind had long since shut down. Aro's lack of concern for her well-being made me sick to my stomach, but there was nothing that I could do for her without risking my own life and that of Susanna and the baby. I knew Aro wouldn't appreciate my thoughts so I tried to avoid him as much as I could. This was easy as he and Caius spent most of their time in the dungeon, watching and waiting until the day their heirs would arrive. Athenodora was notably absent through all of this, and if I'd been in the right state of mind, I might have found that odd. As it was, I couldn't bring myself to care.

Despite my best efforts to focus solely on Susanna and my baby, my mind often wandered to Lucy. On some mornings, after she came back from her night out and before Susanna awoke, I snuck up to her room and watched her as she slept. She looked pale and tortured, and her sleep was usually restless. No matter how much I wanted to reach out and comfort her, I never did. I knew that it would destroy the little self-control I had left, and I had to stay strong, for both of us.

When the day of the Masquerade Ball finally came, Aro ordered me to walk Lucy to the door. He had me waiting by his side until she arrived in the Royal room. Demetri and I were going on a long-overdue hunt afterwards, and I was looking forward to spending some time away from the castle. Elliana was still sick and slowly getting worse. The doctor had actually warned Demetri that there was a chance his baby would be born prematurely. He tried to take care of her the best way he could, and in her fragile state, she'd finally made peace with him. She was just too tired to fight.

The door opened, and Jane walked through, followed by Lucy. She was a vision in white; a dark-haired angel. I swallowed thickly, trying to force down the sadness that constricted my throat. I couldn't fall apart now, not with everyone here; not with _her_ here. She looked at me with tears in her eyes but quickly averted her glance. I knew she was fighting to keep it together, just like I was. Aro greeted her with his fake smile and false compliments, which she graciously accepted. She had no idea she was being lied to again and again. I thought of her mother and the promise I'd made to take care of her daughter. I'd failed miserably in every possible way.

He motioned for me to escort her out, and I immediately obliged. We walked side by side in silence, neither of us knowing what to say. When we finally reached the exit, I was almost relieved. I turned to face her, my breath catching as I realized how close she was.

"You look stunning, Princess."

I leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, inhaling her scent one last time.

"Enjoy your evening."

With that, I turned and left. I knew that if I would've stayed any longer, I wouldn't have been able to let her go. Back inside the hallway, I found Demetri waiting for me.

"Are you ready to go?" He looked at me curiously, no doubt wondering what was going on.

"Yes." I'd never been more ready to leave the castle.

O-o-O

We'd run all the way into the countryside until we found a small village that was a favourite with tourists. The Elders preferred us not to hunt the locals, as it could arouse suspicion, so we mostly stuck to unlucky foreigners. It was in my nature to kill humans, and for many centuries, I'd done so without a shred of remorse. I'd enjoyed the hunt, often seeking out beautiful women and making sure I gave them something to die for. It had been a long time since I'd last killed like that; these days I just took nourishment, nothing more.

After we were fully satisfied, we ran back at a slow pace, neither of us quite ready to return to Volterra. We'd hardly spoken a word all night, only the obligatory small talk. It took me by surprise when he turned and stopped me.

"Can I talk to you about something?"

I eyed him curiously, wondering what was on his mind.

"Of course," I eventually replied.

He motioned for me to follow him towards a small cliff overlooking the village where we'd just slain two unsuspecting tourists. Demetri looked out over the scenery and sighed before turning back to me.

"How do you feel about all of this, Felix?"

"About what?" I replied apprehensively. I knew what he was talking about, but I wasn't sure I wanted to share my feelings with him.

"You know what, Felix. _This_. The women, the babies, the army. I know you like Susanna, but does that mean you're okay with all of this?"

I glared at him, unsure of why he wanted to know.

"I'm not going to tell Aro; don't worry. I don't want him inside my head right now anyway."

I relaxed and moved past him, gazing at the dark horizon ahead of us.

"I hate it; all of it. We're creating monsters, Demetri. I'm going to have to raise my child to do Aro's bidding, and the thought alone enrages me."

He looked at me with a knowing glance, and I understood he felt the same way. Demetri sighed, looking defeated.

"Elliana's getting worse. The doctor has no idea what's wrong with her, so they can't find a cure. He thinks she's not going to live long enough to carry the baby to full term."

I averted my eyes and gazed up at the many stars in the sky. I thought of Susanna and how strong she'd been so far. Elliana had fought too long and too hard and was now paying the price for wanting to live.

"I'm sorry, Demetri." I turned back to him and put my hand on his shoulder. "Let me know if there's anything I can do for you."

He nodded once, not speaking.

"We should get going. The sun will be rising soon." I motioned for us to go.

Demetri nodded, and we ran again, not knowing what was awaiting us on our return.

O-o-O

When we neared the Royal room, we heard a baby cry. We stopped in our tracks and looked at each other, shock evident on both our faces. Eventually, I moved, and Demetri followed, knowing we had no choice. I opened the door to find the entire Guard congregated inside. Aro was sitting on his throne, his wife beside him and his newborn baby in his arms. He looked up when we walked in.

"Felix! Demetri! Come meet my son."

He smiled eagerly, motioning us forward with one hand. I had no desire at all to see his child, but I knew I couldn't refuse. He stood up when we neared him and held out his baby for us to see.

"This is Duilio."

I glanced at the tiny figure bundled inside the blanket. He appeared to be sleeping, looking peaceful and blissfully unaware of what his future would hold.

"Well? What do you say?" Aro looked at us eagerly, awaiting a response.

"Congratulations, Master," Demetri said curtly.

"He's beautiful," I added.

"Yes," Aro said as he turned his back on us and handed the baby to Sulpicia. "And one day he will rule by my side."

He sat back down, an almost evil smirk appearing on his face. I wanted to go back to Susanna, but I knew Aro wouldn't let me, not now. As the first rays of the sun filtered through the tiny glass slits at the top of the room, I wondered if Lucy was back yet. It wouldn't be long now before she'd know everything, and I dreaded seeing how she'd react. As if he'd read my mind, Aro addressed Demetri.

"Can you please go and retrieve Lucy? She should be back by now. I want her to meet Duilio."

Demetri nodded once before he froze. The look on his face changed from confusion to utter shock.

"Well?" Aro said, impatiently. "Find her, Demetri."

He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before he finally spoke.

"I…I can't," he whispered.

Aro rose from his chair and approached him.

"What do you mean, you can't? Of course you can; don't be ridiculous."

"I'm sorry, Master. I can't find her."

Aro looked as shocked as I felt; I'd never known Demetri's power to fail.

"Jane, go to her room."

She immediately did as he asked, her face worried. I grabbed Demetri by the arm and forced him to look at me.

"Where is she?"

He didn't speak but just shook his head incredulously. I tugged at his arm, almost frantic.

"Try harder, Demetri. Where is she?"

"I don't know!" he shouted as he forced himself out of my grip.

Aro stepped up closer to Demetri and looked him in the eyes, his face worried.

"Are you sure you can't sense her?"

"No, Master; I tried but it's as if she doesn't exist."

So many things went through my mind at once, but nothing I could come up with could warrant the fact that Demetri couldn't sense Lucy. He said it was as if she didn't exist. Panic started to rise inside, taking over every rational thought.

The door opened forcefully as Jane ran towards Aro, holding something in her hand.

"Master! She left this in her bedroom."

I looked at the childlike vampire, surprised at the amount of worry and desperation I saw in her eyes. She glared at Aro, almost forcing him to open the note she'd just handed him.

"Thank you, dearest."

Aro seemed afraid of the piece of paper in his hand. The whole room had gone silent, awaiting Aro's next move. He walked towards his throne and sat down. Giving the envelope one last weary glance, he finally opened it and took out the note inside. It took him only a few seconds to read its content before he crumpled the note in his hand, a tormented look on his face. I'd stopped breathing, stopped moving, stopped thinking. I needed to know what was in that note.

"It seems we have failed Luciana. The reason you can't sense her is that she's no longer among us. This," he said, holding up the note, "is her last goodbye."

_My fault._

"How?" I heard Marcus ask.

"I don't know," Aro answered, "It doesn't say. But if Demetri can't sense her, she must have succeeded."

_My fault._

My body seemed to shut down as I lost all my senses one by one. I couldn't hear, I couldn't speak, I couldn't see; there was only silent darkness. I wasn't aware of anything else but the agony I felt. I wanted to breathe to try and clear my chest, but I couldn't remember how. Lucy was gone.

_My fault. _

I would never see her again; her shiny, black hair, her beautiful smile, those brilliant green eyes. Never would I feel her smooth skin, kiss her soft lips or hold her tiny hand in mine. She would never speak again, or laugh, or even yell at me. Lucy was dead, and it was _all_ _my_ _fault_.

* * *

**Thank you:**

**Jkane180 _ for making me go to bed (though I'm not listening)**

**SusanAshlea, Jules, Megsly - much love**


	7. Life and Death

**So this one is kinda big...I hope you like it! Sorry for being fail at replying to reviews. I'm planning on taking some time to do it tomorrow!**

* * *

Time had no meaning anymore; days could have passed, and I wouldn't have known. It didn't matter to me anymore; nothing did. I wasn't aware of where I was, or who was with me. All I knew was pain; searing, blinding, all-consuming pain. Having no outlet for my grief, my body just seemed to shut down completely. I kept going over it in my mind. We should have been together; I should have worked harder at making her happy. I should have taken her and run far, far away from this place - away from her father and uncles and everything else that had eventually driven her to take her own life.

I was vaguely aware of Demetri talking to me. I heard words like: _unbelievable, impossible _and_ why. _I don't think I answered, but I wasn't sure. It was silent for a long time. I could've sworn I smelled her; the flowery scent hung thick in the air. I inhaled and exhaled, in and out, relishing the feeling of having part of her close. Eventually, her scent got weaker, and I had to inhale deeper to catch it. It felt like I was losing her all over again.

"Felix."

Somewhere in the distance, I registered a female voice, and for one second, I thought it might be her.

"Felix, come back to me."

Suddenly my vision cleared, and I looked around. I was amazed to find myself in Lucy's room. I had no memory of getting here and no idea how long I'd been here for. A warm hand touched my arm, startling me. I looked beside me to find Susanna sitting with me on Lucy's bed.

"Hey," she smiled apprehensively.

"Hi," was all I could utter, my voice sounding as if it belonged to someone else.

"Demetri told me what happened. I'm so sorry, Felix."

I didn't respond; I simply had nothing to say. Instead, I looked around Lucy's room, taking in every detail. It was decorated in soft pink - from the walls, to the bed covers, right down to the plush rug on the floor. Her wardrobe was open, revealing a mess of many clothes. I sighed deeply and turned to Susanna.

"How long has it been?"

"Two days," she replied.

Two days. So, I'd lost two whole days. Somehow, I didn't care.

"Caius had his baby. It's a boy."

I nodded in acknowledgment.

"Felix, you have to get out of here. Let's go back to your room, okay?"

There was so much concern in her voice, and I felt guilty for making her worry. Her hand slid under my arm as I stood up. It seemed funny to me, a mere human supporting a vampire like me, but I didn't fight it. Susanna guided me back to my room, where she sat me down on the bed. She reached behind herself and grabbed her bag.

"I think it's time I showed you something," she said, rummaging through it.

She pulled out what appeared to be a picture and handed it to me. Three people smiled back at me: Susanna, a man and a small child. I looked at them for a moment before Susanna spoke.

"That's my husband, Alex, and that's our little boy, Sidney."

I gasped and looked at her.

"You're married?"

"I was. Alex and I met in high school and got married straight after college. Sidney came along shortly after that. We had so many plans, so many things we wanted to do."

She looked sad, and I couldn't help but reach out and take hold of her hand.

"What happened?" I asked tentatively, realising this story would not have a happy ending. She took a shuddering breath.

"They were coming to pick me up from work when they were hit by a truck. They were killed on impact. I stopped living that day. I've been waiting to join them ever since."

A tear rolled down her cheek as she looked at the picture one last time before putting it back inside her bag.

"Now you know," she stated. I nodded to show her I understood. She wanted to die to be with the ones she loved. More than anything, I wished I could do the same. We sat in silence for a long time, both of us lost in our grief, neither of us knowing what to say to console the other. Having her close was a comfort though. The steady heartbeat of my baby was like an anchor, keeping me rooted in reality. Lucy was gone, but this baby needed me, and I had to stay strong to keep it safe.

We both jumped when my door swung open and Demetri burst through, his face completely panicked.

"Felix! You need to come with me. Please help!"

Without a second thought, I followed him as he ran back to his room.

"Demetri, what's going on?"

He seemed almost frantic in his running, and I wondered what could've gotten him so upset.

"Elliana… the baby… it's coming."

A slight panic overtook me, but I wanted to keep it together for Demetri. I did my best to collect myself as we neared his room.

I could hear Elliana's screams long before we reached it. The doctor was just on his way out.

"I'm so sorry, Master, but there's nothing we can do. I gave her some medicine to relieve most of the pain, but she's dying. Prepare to deliver your baby soon."

Demetri looked terrified. I grasped his shoulder and made him look at me.

"You can do this, brother."

"You'll stay with me?"

I honestly didn't want to, but he looked so lost that I couldn't say no. I nodded once and followed him in. Elliana was lying on his bed, sweating and panting, but fortunately, no longer screaming. She looked up when we walked in, surprising me with the amount of fight still left in her eyes. Demetri sat down next to her and stroked her face.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like shit," she replied, a small, weary grin on her face. "At least the drugs seem to be kicking in. Are you sure they won't harm the baby?"

"The baby will be fine. Just try and get some rest, okay?"

She nodded and lay back, her eyes closed. He kept stroking her face until she fell into a restless sleep. He sighed deeply and bowed his face into his hands. I stood by the door, unsure of whether to stay or go. Eventually, he looked up, his expression tortured.

"What if I change her? Wouldn't that cure her?"

I thought about that for a long moment.

"You can't change her as long as the baby is still in there."

He looked at her sleeping form; she seemed to be getting weaker by the minute. There was no colour left in her face, and her breathing was laboured. Demetri rose from the bed and started pacing the room.

"I don't know if I can do this," he whispered, wringing his hands. "Is it the right thing to do?"

He looked at me, searching for reassurance that I couldn't give him.

"Only you can decide that, Demetri."

"No…"

We both startled when Elliana's hoarse whisper interrupted our conversation. Demetri sat back down by her side and grabbed her hand.

"Please, Elliana, let me try."

"No," she said again, louder this time. "I've accepted what's happening, but I have no desire to become one of you."

Elliana struggled for breath as speaking was taking its toll on her fragile body. Demetri stroked her forehead while she looked up at him.

"I need you here. I don't know how to be a father; I need your help."

Elliana coughed loudly, and as she tried to catch her breath, I was amazed to see her lips form into an almost wicked smirk.

"I'll so enjoy watching you struggle from wherever it is I'll go. Consider it your punishment for what you did to me."

She coughed again, gasping for air. Her chest was rising and falling violently as she was clearly trying to hang on to whatever life was left in her. I didn't want to witness this, but I knew Demetri needed me here. It was an odd thing; as a vampire I was used to death, I delivered it to unsuspecting humans all the time. However, seeing it like this, tortured and drawn out, made it more real somehow. I just hoped that when the time came, Susanna's death would be quick and painless.

Elliana moaned, taking a long, quivering breath. She held it for a moment before releasing it slowly. Her eyes glazed over, and her chest stilled.

Demetri froze, shaking slightly. I stayed where I was, allowing him a moment to grasp what had just happened. Eventually, he leaned in, kissed her hand and wiped a stray lock of hair from her face. His hand moved over her eyes, closing them for the last time.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, as he put her hand down beside her and stood up.

"Demetri, you need to get the baby out."

I pointed at Elliana's abdomen, where there was still movement. I didn't know how long the baby would survive in there, but I was sure we needed to act fast. Demetri nodded, still shaking. He lifted his hands and ran them over her swollen belly. I looked on anxiously. He moved his head down and sank his teeth into her, the sound of tearing metal filling the room. I jumped as I heard someone gasp behind me and turned in shock to find Susanna in the doorway. I rushed over to her and forced her outside.

"What are you doing here?"

My voice sounded angrier than I'd intended, but she didn't seem to be listening. She was trembling from head to toe and looked like she would pass out any second. I pulled her to me, rubbing her back to try and soothe her.

"Is she…" she began to ask. I hugged her as close as I could, her belly pressing against me.

"Don't think about it, please. Let's go back to my room."

I was just about to lift her and carry her back when the sound of a baby crying distracted us both. Susanna pushed against me and tried to move past me, but I stopped her.

"Please just let me take you back. You shouldn't be here."

"Move aside, Felix. I want to see the baby."

I didn't think it was right to let her go in there, but I knew her well enough by now to understand that there was no point in arguing. I released her but stayed close beside her as she walked in. Demetri stood next to the bed, his back to us. I was happy to see he'd covered most of Elliana's body; only her shoulders and face were still visible. Demetri turned slowly as we stopped behind him. In his arms was a tiny baby with a full head of black hair. It was screaming frantically, its face red and its little hands clutched into fists. Despite the noise it was making, Demetri looked at it in wonder, a smile on his face.

"It's a girl," he said, never taking his eyes off her. She kept up her screaming, which, in fact, only seemed to grow louder. Susanna reached out her arms to the baby.

"Can I hold her?"

Demetri seemed to contemplate it for a moment, unsure of what to do, but eventually he handed the baby to Susanna. She hugged the girl to her chest, where it snuggled contently and immediately fell asleep. I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped me. Demetri looked at his daughter, stunned by her sudden silence.

"How did you do that?" he asked Susanna.

"She was just cold," she answered, and he gasped.

"Of course; how stupid of me. I should've realized that. I…I have clothes. Maybe we should put some on her."

"A blanket will do for now," Susanna said, rocking the little girl in her arms.

Demetri rushed to his wardrobe and retrieved a pink, fleece blanket. He handed it to Susanna, who put the girl down in her crib and bundled her up. She sighed contently in her sleep.

"Have you got a name for her yet?" Susanna asked Demetri.

"Yes. Her name is Megan. Elliana's choice. It was her sister's name."

"Megan. That's a nice name."

Susanna walked over to the bed and looked at Elliana. She sighed, stroking the girl's hair one last time before pulling the sheet all the way up to cover her.

"Where are you going to bury her?"

Demetri and I looked at each other awkwardly. We never buried humans; we had our own way to dispose of the bodies. Susanna looked between us anxiously.

"You _are_ going to bury her, right?"

"Yes," I replied quickly, not wanting to upset her further. I ignored Demetri, who threw me a questioning glance, and walked over to Susanna.

"Let's go back to the room. You need to drink and rest."

She sagged against me as I lifted her up. I turned back to Demetri. "You'll be okay here by yourself?"

He nodded, looking at his newborn baby girl who was fast asleep in her tiny crib. His expression was a mixture of fear, worry and wonder. I glanced at Elliana's body one last time before I quickly left the room. Susanna was half asleep when I lay her down on my bed. I covered her with the sheets and sat down next to her.

As her breathing slowed and she sunk into a restless slumber, I couldn't help but think that this woman was born to be a mother. The way she'd immediately known what it was that Megan had needed and how she'd been able to calm the tiny girl had surprised me. I supposed she'd been through all of this before with her own son. I couldn't help but wonder how she'd been able to hold on to her strong beliefs after everything had been so cruelly taken from her. I'd never believed in heaven or hell, and this was only strengthened when I was brought into this eternal purgatory. Regardless of what came after this life, I hoped she got what she wanted and was reunited with her family once more.

Against Aro's wishes, Demetri and I buried Elliana in the castle garden. She had no headstone; instead, we placed a statue of a butterfly over her grave. Susanna wanted to join us, but she had a hard time staying on her feet for more than a couple of minutes at a time. Her due date was nearing, and the closer it got, the worse I felt. I would once again lose someone who I'd grown to care about. Susanna had taken the picture of her family out of her bag and placed it onto the nightstand. I'd examined it while she was sleeping, noting the resemblances between the little boy and his mother. Their eyes were the same, but his hair was dark, like his father's. They had the same bright smile, though. I hoped our child would look like her; that way, at least a part of Susanna would still be with me after she was gone.

To my intense surprise, Athenodora had left the castle with no intention of coming back. After the birth of Caius' son, the two of them apparently had a huge fight, after which she'd packed her things and moved out. Caius hardly seemed to care, as he was too busy boasting about his heir. I hadn't seen him yet, or any of the Elders in fact. I blamed them for Lucy's death almost as much as I blamed myself, and I didn't think I'd be able to hide my feelings very well at the moment. As a result, I chose to stay in my room at all times, only leaving to get Susanna whatever she craved from the kitchen.

Demetri visited us a lot, which made Susanna happy. She loved spending time with little Megan, and she, in turn, seemed enamoured by Susanna. Demetri fired question after question at her, wanting to know how to best take care of his daughter. I listened to her answers intently; I would need the knowledge soon enough. I'd made sure my room was fitted for the baby. Susanna had picked most of the furniture and had made sure that I had all the essentials. To the outside world, I was ready for my child to come; inside, I was terrified. I wanted to protect my child from all the horrors that came with growing up amongst vampires, but I knew I would never be able to. More than anything, I didn't want to lose Susanna. She'd become my friend, my support through all this, and the thought of having to watch her suffer and die was petrifying.

o-O-o

It was almost a week after Megan's birth. I'd just helped Susanna into the bathroom so she could wash when I heard her scream. I ran in to find her doubled over in front of the sink. I rushed to her, immediately smelling blood.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

She was panting, her face twisted in obvious agony.

"The baby… " she gasped, clutching her stomach. All colour had been drained from her face, and she was trembling slightly. I lifted her up and carried her back to the bed. Susanna moaned, in obvious pain, while I stood helplessly at her side. My mind was a complete blank; I had no idea what to do. She looked up at me, annoyance on her face.

"Could you please help me out of these pants?"

I jerked out of my stupor and quickly undressed her. With shock, I registered blood between her legs, quickly staining the bed. My hands shook as I fumbled for my phone and tried to call Jane. It took me several tries before I finally got it right.

"Jane! Please send the doctor to my room. Susanna's in labour."

I hung up after she'd assured me he was on his way and went back to Susanna's side.

"The doctor's coming. Is there anything I can do for you?"

She winced as she shook her head.

"Just stay with me," she panted.

She grabbed my hand and squeezed it firmly as another wave of pain made her cry out. I cursed inwardly, wishing the doctor would hurry up. As if on cue, the door opened, and Jane rushed in, followed by the human that had been aiding the Elders with their sick scheme in the hope they would grant him immortality. If Aro didn't kill him, I certainly would.

He quickly examined Susanna before turning to me.

"The baby's ready. I'll give her something to fight the pain, and then you can proceed to get it out."

I growled at him, upset with the way he completely ignored Susanna. He cowered with fear and dropped the bottle of morphine he was holding. He clumsily picked it back up and fumbled, trying to get the liquid into the syringe. Eventually, he was able to administer the drug to Susanna, who relaxed almost immediately. She looked at me, her eyes glazed.

"Felix… " she whispered, her hold on my hand slackening. I could feel her slip away, but I wasn't ready to let her go yet.

"Please, stay with me. Just hold on a little while longer."

She smiled ever so slightly and reached her free hand up to my face.

"You're a good man, Felix. I trust you with our child."

I closed my eyes and shook my head. This was all happening too fast.

"Master Felix, you need to get the baby out," the doctor urged.

I never took my eyes off Susanna as I addressed Jane.

"_You_ do it."

"What? Felix, I don't know how!"

My words were hardly more than a growl as I spoke again.

"Do it, Jane. _Now!_"

She didn't argue again. I smelled fresh blood, so I assumed the doctor had made the initial incision across her stomach, guiding Jane where she would need to bite deeper to reach the womb. I tried to block all the other sounds and smells and focused only on Susanna. I had to say goodbye to her.

"Susanna… " I couldn't find the words to express how much I'd miss her. Nothing I could think of seemed right. She smiled again, tears running down her face.

"It's okay. I'm going home. Thank you, Felix."

Behind me, I heard Jane gasp.

"It's a girl. Felix, she's beautiful."

I didn't care. I kept looking at Susanna.

She closed her eyes, a gentle smile on her lips. Somewhere in the distance, I heard my baby cry, but I couldn't bring myself to look. Susanna's breathing slowed as she drifted further and further away from me. Her heart was getting weaker, with more time in between every beat.

I held her hand in both of mine, noting how her skin was cold and clammy. Her face was pale, her cheeks and lips already losing colour.

_This is what she wants._

I kept telling myself this over and over again. Susanna wanted to die. I closed my eyes and placed the palm of her hand against my cheek. She was struggling, her breathing laboured, her heartbeat weakening. It wouldn't be long now.

The gaping hole that Lucy's death had left reopened as I was slowly losing Susanna. The pain I felt was almost unbearable. I ran my nose over her pulse, breathing the sweet, honey-like smell that was so distinctly her. I pressed my lips against the place where her heartbeat was strongest, and I could almost taste the blood underneath her skin.

Seconds ticked by, slow and torturously, between each beat of her heart and each rise of her chest. More time passed after every sign of life. She was so close now…

_I couldn't do it; I couldn't watch her die_…

She would hate me for this, I knew it, but at that moment, I didn't care. I slowly and deliberately sank my teeth into her skin, fully intent on bringing her back to me and keeping her here. Susanna would live, even if it killed me to do it.

* * *

**Really, did you think he was just going to let her die? *lol* **

**Announcement:**

**I'll be writing a sexy o/s for MyVampFiction's Wicked Wednesday, which will be published at the end of September. I need YOU to help me decide what it will be about! Please go to my profile and vote for the option you want to see! So far I seem to have pervy readers...me likey...**

**Thanks to:**

**Jkane180 - For being so superfast and reassuring me I was doing it right.**

**SusanAshlea - For helping me through this chapter**

**Megsly and Jules - For your pre-reading skillz and, in Meg's case, HILARIOUS skittles!**

**xoxo**


	8. Newborn

I hadn't moved since I'd forced my venom into Susanna's body. Her hand was still in mine, squeezing hard since she was clearly in pain. Her cries filled the castle and had alerted the Elders to what was going on. Alec had been sent to summon me, but I refused; I didn't want to leave her side. Alec decided to stay with his sister, who'd been looking after my daughter since she'd been delivered.

_My daughter._

It was like something finally clicked in my brain. I had a daughter; I was a father. As if she knew my thoughts, the little girl started crying softly. I slowly turned my head in her direction. Jane looked at me apprehensively, clutching the little girl closer.

"Can I see her?" I asked.

Jane hesitated for a small moment but then stepped towards me and gently placed the baby in my outstretched arms. I pulled her to my chest and smiled down, amazed to find her smiling back at me, showing a row of pretty, white teeth. Her eyes were a deep brown, like mine had been in my human years. It was almost odd to see the colour again after all this time, as if a part of my humanity had come back. I stared at her for the longest time, mesmerized by her beauty. It was incomprehensible to me that I helped create her. For once, I'd finally done something right. I lifted my hand and carefully stroked her face with one finger. She clasped her tiny hand around it and immediately brought it to her mouth, where she began to suckle on the tip. I chuckled at the sight.

"Have you got a name for her yet?"

Susanna and I had never discussed it, for obvious reasons, and I'd never given it much thought. Now that I was holding her, there was only one name I could think of.

"Juliana."

"Why is that name familiar?" Alec looked at me in confusion.

"It was Lucy's mother's name," Jane answered, taking me by surprise.

"You remember," I stated, eyeing her curiously. She nodded once, her mouth set in a tight line.

We looked at each other for a moment longer, and for the first time since I'd known her, I found myself connected to Jane, sharing a common emotion. She missed Lucy, just like I did. I'd never realized she cared that much about her. Right at that moment, Susanna screamed louder than she had before. Juliana startled in my arms and started crying. I tried to soothe her, but it wasn't working. Eventually, Jane stepped in.

"Here, give her to me. Alec and I will take her into the garden. It's nice and quiet there. You can stay with Susanna."

I was reluctant to let my little girl go, but I understood it wasn't good for her to be here now. I handed her over to Jane, my arms feeling empty without her. As the twins left the room, I turned my attention back to Susanna. She was writhing and screaming as the venom burned through her veins. I didn't remember much from my human life, but I could clearly recall the agony of my transformation. It pained me to watch her go through it, but there was nothing I could do to help her now. All I could do was wait until it would finally be over. I tried not to think about how she'd react to what I'd done. No doubt she would be furious.

After about thirty-six hours, The Elders finally put their foot down and sent Demetri to retrieve me. We walked towards the Royal room at a slow pace, neither of us in a hurry to face them. I knew I couldn't stop Aro from invading my mind if he demanded it, and I understood there would be consequences if he did. My loyalty to him and his brothers was gone, and I'd already been trying to think of ways to escape with Susanna and Juliana. There was no way my child would end up like Lucy. I would make sure of that; I would not fail my daughter.

Aro, Caius and Marcus were seated on their thrones in the middle of the room. We walked straight up to them, not wasting time. Aro eyed me curiously for a moment before his face turned stern, and he rose to address me.

"So, you have decided to make Susanna one of us?"

"Yes," I answered, looking him straight in the eye, showing no fear.

"You seem to have grown quite fond of the girl. Tell me, what do you plan on doing with her once the transformation is complete?"

His question confused me for a second. Aro's lips curved into a condescending smile.

"Surely you realize that she's not going to be happy about this, Felix. I was under the impression that she wanted to die."

I sucked in a sharp breath, shocked by his words.

"You knew?"

Aro stepped closer to me, trying to appear threatening. I straightened my shoulders, towering over him.

"Yes, I knew, Felix. I knew all about her happy little family and how they died. It was quite… convenient. She practically begged Santiago to take her."

I clenched my fists in an effort to control myself. Breathing deeply, I couldn't help the low growl that escaped me. Aro raised his eyebrows and stepped back a little. When I finally calmed, he spoke again.

"Why have you not shown us your child, Felix? Are you hiding her from us?"

"I was with Susanna. Juliana is with Jane and Alec." Every word took me great effort; it was hard to keep the anger out of my voice.

"I see. So you neglect your duties for a mere woman. This disappoints me, I have to say."

This time I couldn't stop myself as I stepped towards him. He took a couple of steps back, fear obvious in his eyes.

"Don't talk about her like that! Haven't you done enough?"

At this, Caius rose and ran at us.

"Insolence! How dare you threaten your superior like that? You will show respect!"

My anger burned, and I was unable to stop it. I turned to Caius, who stopped dead in his tracks and cowered a little.

"Respect? For what? Certainly not for you! Your daughter is dead, and you don't even care. Your wife left you, but you're too busy building your little empire to notice. You're not worthy of my respect, and I'll be damned if I take any orders from you."

I looked between all three of the Elders. Caius seemed to be inwardly seething, but too afraid to speak up. I sneered at him, causing him to retreat further. Aro looked shocked at my outburst, but I didn't care. Marcus, however, was eyeing me with something that almost seemed like pride. I looked at the quiet Elder, our eyes locking for the briefest of moments before he slumped in his seat and wore his usual vacant expression.

"I'll be going back to Susanna now. I'll report when I'm ready."

With that, I quickly turned and left, followed by Demetri.

They left me alone after that, something I was very grateful for. I knew there might be repercussions, but for now, my focus was on Susanna. We were in the last twelve hours of the transformation now. She was healed completely, and I'd washed and dressed her while Jane helped me change the sheets on the bed. Susanna was still in pain, and the worst was yet to come.

There was a knock on my door, and immediately, Demetri entered, carrying Megan in his arms. She looked around curiously and squealed loudly when she saw Susanna on the bed.

"Not now, Megan. Susanna's not feeling well."

The girl scowled at her father, pouting her lips. At that moment, Juliana cried out in Jane's arms, causing Megan to whip her head around. She pointed at Juliana and looked at Demetri.

"That's Juliana. She's a baby, just like you."

Megan shifted in Demetri's arms, extending her small body towards Jane.

"I think she wants to see Juliana. Is that okay?" Demetri asked me.

"Sure, go ahead."

I indicated my hand towards Jane and watched as Demetri took his daughter to meet mine. Megan leaned over his arm and extended her tiny hand towards Juliana's face. The two girls looked at each other for a moment before Juliana reached out her hand and grabbed Megan's. They smiled at each other as we all looked on in amazement. All of us jumped when Susanna screamed again, causing both girls to start crying hysterically. Jane quickly took Juliana out of the room, while Demetri handed Megan to Alec, who followed his sister.

"How's she doing?" he asked when we were alone.

"As well as to be expected, I suppose," I answered, looking at the woman on the bed. She was slowly transforming before my eyes. Her skin was pale and glowing slightly, her temperature already dropping. It wouldn't be much longer now.

"Are you sure about this, brother?"

"No," I admitted truthfully. "But there's no turning back now, is there? At least Juliana will have a mother."

"True," he answered. "She's a lucky girl."

He stayed with me for a while, silently supporting me. Eventually, he went to find his daughter, leaving me alone with Susanna.

Hours passed, counting down until the moment when the transformation would be complete. I sat in silence, watching her change. Her heart was beating violently, and her screaming was almost too much to bear. I hated watching her suffer, but at least this time, I knew she was going to come back to me. I tensed when her heartbeat sped up, knowing she was only moments away. She cried out one last time, the sound piercing right through my soul. Her heart gave one final thud, and then there was only silence.

My breath caught as I waited for her to open her eyes. I was afraid to move; I didn't want to startle her, so instead, I just sat frozen.

"Alex…" she whispered, the sound of her voice so much clearer than before. My heart clenched uncomfortably as she spoke her husband's name.

"Susanna, honey, open your eyes."

She smiled ever so slightly, her eyes still shut.

"Am I in heaven?"

Intense guilt overwhelmed me as I realized what I'd taken from her. Her lashes trembled slightly before she finally opened her eyes. I felt a slight twinge of sadness as I noticed the bright red that had replaced the beautiful blue colour. I had no time to dwell on it, however, as Susanna finally became aware of her surroundings.

"Felix…"

Her eyes widened before she jumped off the bed in a flash, landing on the other side of the room in a crouch. She looked around wildly.

"Susanna, it's okay…"

"Stay away from me," she hissed. Her eyes darted all around the room before landing on me again.

"What have you done to me?"

She was still crouched and looked ready to attack.

"I…I couldn't do it, Susanna."

She cocked her head to the side, her eyes narrowed.

"Couldn't do _what_, Felix?"

Her feral expression scared me slightly, and I braced myself for the moment she would lunge at me.

"I couldn't watch you die… I'm so sorry," I whispered.

She moved ever so slightly towards me, and I took an involuntary step back as I heard her growl.

"I'll ask you again, Felix. What have you _done_ to me?"

I couldn't ignore her question any longer, so I took a deep breath to steady myself before I answered.

"I changed you. You're immortal now."

She crouched deeper, still growling, and jumped towards me. The air was violently pushed out of my lungs when she collided with my chest. I fell back against my wardrobe, the wood splintering around me. I threw my arms up to shield myself against her attack but was surprised when nothing happened. I opened my eyes and was shocked to find the room was empty. The door was ripped from its hinges, and there was a large crack in the wall. I didn't hesitate, but immediately followed her scent. Wherever she was going, I needed to stop her before she hurt herself, or even worse, left the castle.

The closer I got to the exit, the more anxious I became. If she found her way into Volterra, the damage she could do would be irreparable, and the Elders would be outraged. My fear proved to be right as her scent led me right out the door and into the streets. I pushed myself to go faster, intent on catching her before any damage was done. With surprise, I noticed that her trail actually seemed to be leading away from the town. As I reached the edge of Volterra, her scent got stronger, leading me to believe she'd finally stopped running. It led me straight to a small church that was a favourite among the locals, since it hadn't turned into a tourist attraction like most of the larger churches in the area. I approached it cautiously, not wanting Susanna to run off again.

I gasped when I stepped through the door, immediately noticing the damage that only one of my kind could cause. The pews were ripped from the floor and thrown across the small space, piling up against the altar. I walked slowly, stepping over the debris, careful not to make too much noise. I sniffed the air, trying to locate Susanna. The smell of blood hit me, and I cringed as I realized I was too late. I followed the scent to the right side of the church, where the confessional stood. It was strongest here, causing venom to flow in my mouth. I walked around the booth to find a young woman, completely broken and drained. I recognized the messy wounds only a newborn vampire could inflict.

A soft sob came from the far corner of the church, and relief filled me when I finally found Susanna. I walked over to her, cautiously, not wanting to frighten her. She didn't seem to notice me, however, as she sat there, crying tearless sobs. She was trembling as she stared into the distance, her eyes unfocused. I stopped in front of her and crouched.

"Susanna…"

I tried to keep my voice as soft as possible. She didn't respond; instead, she started rocking back and forth, her sobs growing louder.

"Susanna, please…"

Carefully, I extended my hand towards her face, trying to make her snap out of her trance-like state. When I touched her, she jerked slightly but didn't pull away.

"I thought I would be safe here…" she whispered quietly.

I sat down next to her, watching her intently for signs she might run off again. Susanna stayed where she was though, still staring blankly ahead. I remained silent, waiting for her to speak.

"She smelled so good; I couldn't resist her."

"It's in our nature; it's what we do." I wanted to make her feel better, to let her know this wasn't her fault. She shook her head frantically, her eyes shifting to me for a fraction of a second before staring into the distance again.

"I don't want this. I don't want to be a monster."

"You're not," I immediately responded. Her head shot up, her eyes wide and staring into mine.

"Then how do you explain _that_?"

Susanna's voice sounded shrill as she indicated her hand towards the poor girl behind us. I didn't look; instead, I kept my eyes on her as I moved closer.

"Susanna, I did this to you. I'm the monster for robbing you of your happily-ever-after. Please, let me try and help you. Let me make it better."

She pleaded with her eyes as her hand wrapped around my forearm. The pressure she applied was actually painful.

"Kill me. _Please, Felix_, kill me now."

I would've done anything for her, anything she wanted. Anything but that.

"I can't, I'm sorry."

She removed her hand from my arm, and I involuntarily rubbed the spot she'd been grasping.

"Can't? Or won't? You're always sorry, Felix. It's kind of getting on my nerves."

I had no idea how to respond to that, so I said nothing. After a few minutes, I started to feel a bit anxious. Surely the Elders must've noticed that we were gone by now. I didn't want them to find us like this. I needed to get us out of here.

"Come back to the castle with me, please. I promise I'll help make this easier for you." Hesitating for a slight second, I decided to mention the one thing I knew might persuade her. "We have a daughter. She's beautiful, and she needs her mother. Please come back with me."

For the first time since her change, I saw the old Susanna in her eyes. She looked at me in surprise.

"It's a girl?"

"Yes," I nodded.

She seemed lost in thought for a few moments before she pushed off the floor and stood up straight.

"I'll come, but only for her."

I stood up as well and nodded.

"I think it's probably best if I carry you for now. It'll be hard for you to control your thirst once we get back into town."

Susanna snorted but didn't fight me. She looked around the church, anguish showing in her eyes. I knew I had to get rid of the evidence somehow; a dead girl in a trashed church would not go over well with the locals, and Aro would not be pleased. I looked around for something to use and noticed matches on the floor, next to the overturned pulpit. Without looking at Susanna, I quickly grabbed one, lit it and held it up to one of the draperies that framed the altar. It caught fire almost immediately, spreading rapidly.

"What are you doing?" Susanna asked, panic in her voice.

"Getting rid of evidence," I replied as I grabbed her and hurriedly carried her out of there. Fire alarms sounded by the time we reached the castle, and I hoped the church would be left burning long enough to destroy the body inside. I breathed a sigh of relief when we were finally back inside. The relief was short-lived, however, as three figures appeared in the dark hall.

"Felix, Susanna…" Aro addressed us, his expression angry. "Please join us."

As they turned and led the way to the Royal room, Susanna looked at me. I took her hand and squeezed it, trying to comfort her. The truth was, I was as scared as she was, if not more so. No doubt we were in trouble now.

* * *

**Thanks to all you brilliant readers, especially the ones that left me those sweet and supportive reviews for the last chapter! I was nervous about it, so the feedback was very much appreciated. **

**Special thanks to:**

**Jkane180 - for helping me when I was completely stuck and making my shit smell like roses.**

**Wordslinger - For stepping in and pre-reading for me when I needed it. World domination is ours!**

**Jules was the inspiration for the name Juliana. I puffy heart you!  
**

**My Twitter friends for helping me out with all the church references. I'm not religious and I honestly hope I didn't offend anyone with that scene.**

**VOTING for the Wicked Wednesday o/s is still open! Go to my profile and tell me what you want me to write!  
**


	9. Hidden Treasures

**I'm trying my best to get the chapters out as quick as I can, but fair warning: I seem to be developing a strain injury on my hand. I'm ignoring it for now though. Any tips to soothe it?**

* * *

We followed the Elders to the Royal room quietly; the only sound that could be heard was the rustling of their robes. None of us spoke the entire way. I kept looking at Susanna to see if she was okay, but she never acknowledged me. Her hand was still in mine, but when I squeezed it, she gave no response. I wondered what was going through her mind, but there was no way I could ask her now. We'd reached our destination, and I was surprised to see the entire Guard assembled. The room was crowded, and everyone was looking at us. Demetri stood in his usual spot, his face worried. Only Jane and Alec were missing. The Elders sat down on their thrones, except for Aro, who turned to face us.

"Let me begin by expressing how very disappointed I am in you, Felix. You knew the risks involved in bringing Susanna into immortality and yet, you allowed her to get away from you. How could you let this happen?"

I cringed, knowing he was right. This could have ended a lot worse; I was lucky Susanna had stopped inside that church.

"My apologies, Master. I wasn't careful enough, I realize that."

Susanna wriggled her hand out of my grasp and crossed her arms. She stared at Aro defiantly, willing him to address her. He didn't acknowledge her yet; instead, he spoke to me again.

"I don't need to remind you of what we do to vampires who risk exposing us, do I?"

"No, Master. It won't happen again," I spoke through gritted teeth, furious at being lectured like this in front of the entire Guard and Susanna.

"Please enlighten me. What happens to those who break the rules?" Susanna sounded agitated and impatient, causing Aro to raise his eyebrows at her.

"I understand that you're young and new to this life, Susanna, but I must ask you to show some respect. Don't speak unless you're spoken to."

Aro walked back to his throne, but froze when Susanna snorted. He turned slowly, a look of sheer disbelief on his face. I tensed, ready for the repercussions her behaviour would undoubtedly have.

"_Death_. That is what happens to vampires who break the rules."

"So? Kill me; get it over with. I don't give a shit." Susanna practically hissed the words, causing Aro to take a couple steps towards her. It was clear to everyone in the room that she'd pushed him too far. I held my breath, ready to defend her if needed.

"Really, Susanna? You still want to die? Just say the words, and it'll be done. It would be a shame for your daughter to grow up without her mother though."

At the mention of Juliana, Susanna's expression changed from defiant to anxious. I knew Aro's words had the desired effect. Though she may not want this life, she wouldn't be able to leave her daughter behind.

"Where is she?" she whispered, looking around the room.

"I've asked Jane and Alec to bring her here. I've yet to meet her myself." Aro looked smug at having successfully squashed Susanna's rebellion.

The room went silent as we waited for the twins to come. I tried to take hold of Susanna's hand again, but she yanked it away and looked at me angrily. She was still far from forgiving me.

The door opened behind us, and the twins walked in. Alec carried Megan, who he handed to Demetri. I walked towards Jane quickly, before Aro could reach her, and took Juliana from her. My little girl smiled when she saw my face, and I couldn't help but smile back. Her beautiful eyes already seemed to hold so much wisdom. The downy hairs that had been there the last time I saw her had now been replaced by honey-coloured curls that framed her pretty face. She'd already changed so much in such a short time, and I felt regret at not being there to witness it.

I turned to face Susanna, who stood frozen in place. Her eyes grew wide as she saw her daughter for the first time. I walked over cautiously, aware of the fact that Susanna was still a newborn and her actions were unpredictable. She stayed where she was until I reached her and held out our baby for her to see. Her eyes searched Juliana frantically, trying to take in every detail. After a few moments, she reached out her hand and placed it upon her daughter's curls.

"She's perfect," she said with awe in her voice. Susanna looked up at me, a genuine smile on her face.

"Her name is Juliana," I said apprehensively, all of a sudden not sure whether Susanna would mind me naming our daughter. Her brow furrowed for a slight second before her smile returned.

"Juliana; I like it. My little Julie."

Susanna leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against Juliana's forehead. The little girl smiled widely and waved her arms.

"Can I hold her?" she asked, extending her arms.

"Excuse me," Aro's voice intruded on our private moment, and both of us tensed up. "I would like to see her, if you don't mind."

We stood side by side as Aro approached us. Juliana turned her head and looked at the Elder curiously, her big, brown eyes full of innocent wonder.

"She really is quite extraordinary. So calm for a newborn baby. Duilio can be ever so noisy." He chuckled, causing the hairs on my neck to rise up. "The difference between boys and girls, I suppose."

He leaned in and cooed at Juliana.

"Such pretty eyes you have, little Juliana. Just like your father's used to be."

Aro reached out and took hold of her hand. Immediately, I felt a strange tremor go through Juliana's body. Her gaze held Aro's with an almost unnatural intensity, and he gasped loudly, his eyes widening in shock. He instantly released her and stumbled back a few steps.

"Impossible…" he muttered, his eyes still fixed on my daughter. She kept her eyes on him, her smile no longer present. I was amazed to see Aro look almost frightened, and I wondered what had happened. Just as I was about to ask, he waved his hands towards us and smiled anxiously.

"Go enjoy your family now, Felix. I'll let you be for a few days."

The way Aro acted had me highly suspicious; I knew something had happened between him and Juliana. I wasn't going to get any answers from him though, so I took his offer and turned to leave. Susanna was right behind me as we practically ran back to my room. Once there, we shut the door behind us and looked at each other.

"What the hell was _that_ all about?" Susanna looked at me and then at Juliana.

"I have no idea. Something happened between them, of that much I'm sure, but I have no clue what it was." I looked at Juliana, who was eyeing Susanna with great interest.

"I think she wants to see you," I said, facing Susanna. Sure enough, Juliana reached for her mother. I approached Susanna and looked into her eyes. "Can you handle this?"

"She's my daughter, Felix. Don't ask me that again."

Impatiently, she extended her arms, and I handed Juliana to her. Susanna's expression softened as she looked at our little girl.

"Hello, little girl. I'm your mommy."

She stroked Juliana's face, causing her to giggle. I looked at the two of them and smiled. Susanna looked natural and beautiful holding our baby. The wall she kept up seemed to crumble around Juliana, bringing back the old Susanna, the one I admired for her strength. She looked like a mother in every way. At that moment, I realized how much the two of them meant to me. I didn't change Susanna simply because of my grief over losing Lucy, or because I wanted Juliana to have a mother. I'd changed her because I wanted her close, because I enjoyed her company. She made me feel better; more human somehow.

"You're special, aren't you? What did you do to scare away the mean, old man?"

Susanna's words jolted me back into reality. What _had_ Juliana done to scare Aro in such a way? The only time I'd ever seen him that scared was when we'd had the showdown with the Cullens. Bella's power had rendered his biggest weapons useless. The combined strength of the Cullen clan had spurred his desire to breed this army. He wanted to prove to the world that the Volturi were still in charge. So, for him to actually show fear the way he had, simply because of a tiny baby, proved that Juliana held something powerful. I looked at her now, peaceful in her mother's arms, and couldn't imagine a single thing that would make anyone fear her. She was so young and innocent. She snuggled against Susanna's chest and yawned, stretching her little arms over her head. Her eyes drooped, and within minutes, she fell asleep. Susanna kept staring at her, long after she'd fallen asleep.

"So different," she eventually muttered.

"Different?"

Her head snapped up at the sound of my voice; she'd clearly forgotten I was there. Eventually, she turned and walked towards the crib we'd set up for Juliana.

"Sidney used to fight sleep with everything he had. It drove us crazy. We had many sleepless nights sitting up with him."

She lay Juliana down and tucked her in. I walked over to Susanna's side and looked down at our little girl. She looked so small and fragile. The mere thought of losing her scared me more than anything else ever had. I couldn't imagine surviving such a loss, and for a moment, I understood exactly how Susanna felt.

"I know I've said it before, and you probably don't want to hear it, but I really am sorry for ignoring your wishes."

She sighed deeply, never averting her eyes from Juliana. I waited for her to speak, but she remained silent.

"After losing Lucy, I couldn't lose you too. I tried; I really did, but I failed. I…I…enjoy your company. It was a selfish thing to do, but I want you here with me."

She remained silent, her eyes fixed on her daughter. I knew she wasn't ready to forgive me yet. We stood side by side for a while, unmoving and not speaking. Eventually, Susanna turned and looked up at me.

"I don't like being here, and I hate what I've become, but for I'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe. Aro won't control her; I'll see to that."

I nodded in agreement and tentatively placed my hand on her shoulder.

"We'll keep her safe," I echoed her words.

We were silent again for a moment before Susanna leaned in to get a closer look at our daughter.

"She's changing so fast," she sighed while reaching out her hand to stroke Juliana's hair.

"I know. Hybrids grow at accelerated speed. She'll be walking and talking soon enough."

"How soon?" Susanna whispered.

"A few weeks probably."

Susanna gasped.

"That fast?"

I could feel her eyes on me, but I kept looking at Juliana, focusing on the steady rise and fall of her chest. I'd never told her anything about the hybrids; there was never any need.

"She'll reach maturity in about seven years. Physically, she'll appear to be eighteen."

"Too fast," Susanna muttered, tracing Juliana's face with the tip of her finger. She looked up at me again, anxiously. "She's immortal like us though, right?"

"Right," I answered.

"Good," she stated.

We reverted back to our silence for the rest of the night. When Juliana finally stirred, hours later, Susanna took her from the crib and cradled our baby to her chest. Both of us startled when there was a loud knock on the door.

"Come in." I'd hardly spoken the words before Demetri came bursting through, a struggling Megan in his arms.

"Sorry to disturb you, but she's been up all night crying. I think she wants to see Susanna and Juliana."

Sure enough, Megan reached out for them, impatience showing in her face. Susanna walked over to Demetri and took his daughter from him, daftly cradling the squirming little girl on her other arm. Megan squealed, while Juliana just snuggled against her mother's chest and looked at Megan with great interest. Susanna smiled down at both girls, and once again, it hit me how beautiful she was.

"Did you ever figure out what happened last night?" Demetri asked with obvious curiosity in his voice.

I'd completely forgotten all about last night's events until he brought it up, but now that he had, I once again wondered what Juliana had done.

"I haven't seen him that scared since…"

"The Cullens," I answered Demetri's assessment. He nodded knowingly, both of us remembering the fury that Aro had unleashed after we got back to Volterra. We lost half the Guard in the weeks following, as Aro and Caius needed someone to blame for the fiasco. The castle was in a state of uproar with humans and vampires alike walking on eggshells. Then the day came that Aro called us all in and announced his plans for the future. No one disagreed, happy that Aro finally had something else to focus on. Soon after, Lucy was born and, everything changed.

The Guard seemed to slowly be dividing. I knew Demetri had his doubts, like me. Jane seemed to have softened over the years, being in Lucy's company, and Alec would follow his sister anywhere. There was Susanna, a strong newborn with no regard for the Elders what-so-ever, and, of course, Juliana, who seemed to have something that Aro feared. There was no doubt in my mind that my daughter had power; only that could have made Aro react the way he did. I had no idea what it was though, and, at the moment, it also wasn't my priority.

"Who are the Cullens?" Susanna asked

"They're a clan of so-called 'vegetarian' vampires in America. Some of them have extraordinary gifts, and Aro wants nothing more than to add them to the Guard. They've refused him many times in the past. Years ago, there was a big confrontation after someone had misinformed us. That's the day Aro learned it was possible for humans and vampires to conceive."

Susanna looked at me with her eyebrows raised high. I knew I had a lot to tell her about the history of our kind; she was still so oblivious.

"Vegetarian? What does that mean?"

I was momentarily stunned by her question, unable to believe that out of everything I'd just told her, she'd zeroed in on that. Beside me, Demetri chuckled.

"It means they don't drink from humans; they hunt animals instead," he told her.

"That's possible?" Susanna looked completely incredulous.

"Yes, it's possible. It's not very satisfying, though, and the taste is just…not right…" Demetri shrugged at Susanna, who looked deep in thought. Eventually, Megan demanded her attention, and she focused on the girls once more.

I wondered what she was thinking. Would she really consider only hunting animals? Truthfully, I'd never given it much thought, not even after the possibility was pointed out to me. It was something I'd just never considered. The animal diet didn't appeal to me at all. It was like Demetri said; the taste was just not right. I also felt it wouldn't keep me strong enough. Deep down, I hoped it wouldn't come to that, but I knew I would have to support Susanna either way.

We had a long road ahead of us, but we would have to make this work. If not for ourselves, then for Juliana's future. Aro wouldn't own us; I'd make sure of that, no matter what it would take.

* * *

**A very special thanks to Browns and Scorp112 for brainstorming with me and coming up with the most amazing plot-twist ever! I owe you girls...**

**Thank you:**

**Jkane180 - ILY!**

**SusanAshlea - for the feedback. I appreciate it sooooo much!**

**Megsly - Sorry...still leaving you hanging...I'm evil and all...  
**


	10. Choices and Revelations

"Susanna, please. Come with us."

For the last two days I'd been trying to persuade her to join me and Demetri on a hunt. She'd not fed since her first night as a vampire, and it was taking its toll.

"Fuck off, Felix. Excuse me for not wanting to randomly murder people."

Susanna's mood had been bordering on violent for a while now, and I knew it was because of the lack of nutrition. In her newborn temper she'd already destroyed the sink in my bathroom, punched a large hole through one of the walls and crushed one of the bedposts to splinters. The only time she was calm was when she was around Juliana, but I couldn't help but fear that even our little girl wouldn't be safe around her if she didn't feed soon. I squeezed my eyes shut for a second and sighed deeply before deciding to use a different approach.

"If you want to try and hunt animals, I'll go with you. You need to feed, Susanna. You're becoming dangerous to everyone around you."

She glared at me, her expression furious.

"Don't blame _me_ for that, Felix. _You're_ the one that created me."

We'd had this discussion so many times during the past couple of days, and it was always the same - she blamed me, I apologized, she never accepted. It was beginning to affect my mood as well.

"This isn't helping anyone. You need to feed, and you need to do it now. If you're not going to come willingly, I swear I'll drag you along with me. Either way, you're coming."

Susanna looked at me, shock obvious on her face. I regretted my harsh tone, but I was through apologizing. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms.

"I'd like to see you try," she said defiantly.

I sighed in frustration before swiftly lunging at her and throwing her over my shoulder. She violently kicked her legs and pounded my back with her fists. I was surprised at how strong she was - she was actually hurting me - but I held her tight.

"Put me down! This isn't funny, Felix!"

Though she may not have agreed, I actually did find humour in the situation and couldn't help but chuckle. This infuriated her even more, causing her to fight harder. Eventually, I had to put her down.

"Ass," she hissed, before shoving me backwards, making me laugh again.

"Lovers' quarrel?" Demetri smirked in the doorway, looking between us.

"Shut up," Susanna growled furiously.

"Hey now, don't take it out on me."

Demetri raised his hand in front of him and rolled his eyes at me when she turned away from us.

"So I take it you're still not coming?" he asked her.

"Yes, she is," I answered for her.

Susanna spun on her heel and rushed towards me, pinning me against the wall with one arm.

"Don't _ever_ speak for me again."

She released me and glared at both of us for a long moment.

"Fine!" she eventually exclaimed, throwing her hands up in resignation. "I'll go. Happy now?"

I didn't respond but, instead, held out my hand for her to take. Susanna looked at it in disgust before striding past me, her nose high in the air. Demetri chuckled again, and I couldn't help but laugh along.

o-o

I chose to take her out at night, knowing there would be fewer humans around to tempt her. Demetri and I flanked Susanna, just in case she would suddenly try to run off inside the city. She amazed me when she didn't even seem slightly tempted to enter one of the houses, but I could see it was causing her much difficulty. Before we left the castle, I'd told her to hold her breath so that she wouldn't smell the blood as easily. It seemed to be working so far.

We moved into the countryside, where the farms were spaced far apart. I still didn't know if she would want to feed off animals or humans, and I figured both would be available here. Once we were far away from Volterra, Demetri and I slowed down, and Susanna followed our lead. We stopped in an open field with one small farm a few miles away. Demetri and I were both eager to feed, but we'd agreed to help Susanna first, knowing she'd be too much of a liability to leave unguarded. She looked at me anxiously, still holding her breath.

"Are you okay?"

She glared at me, not speaking, causing me to chuckle again.

"Okay, Susanna. When you're ready, I want you to take a deep breath, okay? There is one human in that house over there. There are also sheep in the barn. Choose which one you want, alright?"

She nodded nervously, her mouth shut tight. I grabbed her arms and made sure I had a tight grip before nodding at her. Susanna closed her eyes and breathed deeply, her breath turning into a whine halfway.

"It smells so good," she whispered.

I could feel her twitch in my arms as her vampire instinct kicked in. She'd gone without feeding for too long, and I knew she wouldn't be able to resist the human. I just hoped she wouldn't regret it later.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked her, but her head was already turned in the direction of the farm, and she didn't appear to be listening.

"Let her go," Demetri said.

Susanna ran the moment I released her, and we quickly followed. She entered the house, taking me by surprise when she moved slowly, almost cautiously. Knowing better than to disturb a newborn during a feeding, Demetri and I followed her from a distance. Susanna walked over to the bedroom. We stood a few feet away from her as she opened the door. A man lay on the bed. He was very sick and close to dying, something I'd smelled long before we even got near the farm. He turned to look at her.

"Are you an angel?" he asked, his voice no more than a faint whisper.

Susanna gasped, stunned by the man's words. Eventually, she nodded once before carefully approaching the man. I watched her with baited breath, amazed at her show of restraint. She sat down beside him as he followed her with reverence in his eyes. He reached out with a shaky hand and grabbed her wrist.

"Thank you," he whispered.

She nodded at the man one more time in acknowledgement before leaning in and sinking her teeth into his neck. The man gasped loudly, his hands clawing at her arms, but soon, he went limp, his eyes closing, a smile on his face. Susanna withdrew and looked down at him. I walked over to her and put my hand on her shoulder. She startled, looking up at me.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better," she said, almost shy. "Thank you; you were right."

"Let's go," I said, reaching out my hand for her to take. She looked at it for a moment before accepting it.

We took Susanna back to the castle before hunting ourselves. I didn't think she'd be ready to watch us feed, so I left her with Jane and Alec, who were taking care of the girls. She was quiet, lost in thought, but at least she wasn't angry anymore. I knew I'd done the right thing.

* * *

Two days later, we were outside, in the garden. Susanna wanted to visit Elliana's grave and we'd taken Juliana along to enjoy the sunshine. She was lying on a blanket that we'd put down on the grass, happily staring up at the clouds. Her hair was longer again, and she seemed to be growing before our very eyes. Susanna leaned over and kissed Juliana's nose.

"You're my little miracle, pretty girl," she cooed, making me smile.

Her mood had improved greatly since she'd fed. At times I caught glimpses of the woman she was before I pulled her into this life. I knew she still had a long way to go, but she was slowly finding her place in this world.

Juliana giggled and reached up, pulling at Susanna's hair. She obliged her daughter and laughed along, hovering over her and pressing sweet kisses against her tiny hands. The sun heated my skin, matching the warm glow I felt inside as I watched Juliana and Susanna play. I couldn't help but smile at the beauty of them together. It had been so long since I'd had a genuine reason to smile.

Suddenly Susanna looked up, her brow furrowed and looking slightly confused.

"Megan needs me," she said.

"What?" I asked, not understanding where this was coming from.

"It's weird. It's like…I need to go to her."

Susanna's confusion was now blatantly obvious as she stared at me for answers. I shrugged, a bit bewildered as to what was going on. At that same moment, Demetri came rushing into the garden, holding a screaming Megan. The moment she spotted Susanna and Juliana, she stopped crying and reached out her arms impatiently. Demetri lay her down next to Juliana, and the two girls smiled at each other.

"I'm so sorry to disturb you, but she wouldn't stop crying. I figured she wanted to see Susanna."

Demetri ran his hands through his hair, looking oddly flustered for a vampire.

"It's okay. Megan just wants some girl-time, don't you, cutie?"

Megan squealed in delight when Susanna tickled her belly, causing Juliana to giggle loudly. Demetri sighed deeply and sat down next to me, his eyes on the butterfly statue that indicated Elliana's grave. Strangely, it was the only place in the garden where wildflowers flourished, creating a colourful scene. It seemed befitting of Elliana; as if part of her wild nature was still here.

"She's out there laughing, no doubt," Demetri said with a sad smile.

"I'd say she deserves a good laugh at your expense," I replied, smirking at him.

He snorted and faced me.

"It's weird, isn't it? Being a father?"

"Weird, but wonderful," I responded, looking at Juliana.

Demetri sighed again and followed my gaze. Our daughters were lying on their sides, facing each other. Susanna hovered over them and stroked Juliana's curls.

"Those girls are lucky to have each other." He spoke quietly, and I instinctively knew what he was thinking.

"So many mistakes were made with Lucy," I stated, knowing I was responsible for many of them.

"I miss her," he admitted, his eyes still firmly fixed on his daughter.

"Me too," I replied simply.

Susanna looked up at me, understanding in her eyes. We stared at each other for a few moments when, all of a sudden, Demetri gasped loudly. I looked over to find him staring at his hand before looking at Megan. I followed his gaze and found her holding a stuffed bunny that, moments before, had been in Demetri's hand.

"What happened?" I asked, confused.

"I don't know," he answered, still staring at his daughter. "She looked at it, and before I knew it, it flew from my hand and into hers."

We all fell silent, watching Megan, who was playing with her bunny, oblivious to the magnitude of what she'd just done.

"Do you think it was a fluke?" Demetri finally asked me.

"I have no idea, but I guess we'll find out soon enough," I replied.

Susanna picked up the two girls and hugged them close.

"You are such special girls. The world is going to be amazed by you."

She smiled at them both, kissing each of their foreheads before looking up at us.

"I think we should take them inside. It's getting chilly."

"Sure," I replied, standing up. Demetri followed behind us. I looked over at the babies in Susanna's arms and narrowed my eyes when I noticed that Juliana was holding Megan's bunny. She looked up at me with her beautiful brown eyes and smiled serenely, quickly making me lose my train of thought.

As it turned out, Megan did have a power, and it exhibited itself quite early and very forcefully. Basically, she could locate what she wanted and make it come to her. It mostly seemed to work on objects, but there were times when Susanna suddenly found herself near Megan without knowing how she got there. Aro didn't know about this yet, as we hadn't seen or heard from him in almost a week now, but I had no doubt he would summon us soon.

Whatever it was about Juliana that Aro feared so much had not exhibited itself again, and it was quickly forgotten about. We were just happy that it had bought us some time to get used to the changes in our lives. Susanna was doing well, having figured out that she could be a vampire without being the monster she initially thought she had become. She'd fed once more, while I accompanied her. We visited a hospice in the region where she brought quick relief to a woman who was dying a slow and painful death.

Our lives were getting back to normal, or as normal as it would ever become. Lucy's death, no matter how much pain it still caused me, was not overshadowing everything else anymore. I was able to think of the future, however carefully. That future didn't include the Elders, however, and I spent a lot of time trying to find a way to escape them. So far I'd not been able to think of a single thing. I hadn't discussed anything with Demetri yet, not quite sure how he felt about it. I'd seen a remarkable change in him lately, but I didn't know if he would actually be willing to go against the same people we'd served for centuries. For now, I was biding my time, making sure Susanna and Juliana were happy. Everything else could wait.

* * *

**Because y'all are a bunch of pervs, my Wicked Wednesday o/s will be an AU outtake of the Fairytale Reunions chapter of Fallen Princess. Do you remember when the Volturi came back and Demetri came to find her? Do you then remember that moment where he pulled her into the alley and er...did stuff...and then Felix came? So yeah, what if Felix had actually put up a fight there? What if he wanted to show Lucy he could do everything Demetri did and so much more? Volturi threesome...coming up on www . myvampfiction . com on the 22nd of September!**

**Special thanks to:**

**Jkane180 - Thanks so much for the quick beta even though you're so busy right now (I'm jealous...)**

**SusanAshlea - For assuring me this was the way to go.**

**Jules - For the inspiration to create the sweetest little hybrid**

**Megsly - you iz a badass bitch and err...I'll think about that Emmett thing ;-)  
**


	11. A Second Chance

Aro gave us another week before he finally summoned us. Susanna and I were once again out in the garden, Juliana's favourite place, when Jane came to find us.

"Aro requests your presence. Susanna and Juliana are to come too."

Susanna looked at me with anxiety. The last few weeks had made us complacent, almost forgetting the reason why Juliana was created in the first place. Neither of us wanted that fate for our daughter, but we'd yet to come up with a way to escape it. For now, all we could do was obey Aro so as not to arouse suspicion.

We followed Jane to the Royal room. Juliana was in my arms, her head leaning on my shoulder, her soft curls tickling my cheek. She looked deep in thought as her tiny fingers played with the buttons on my shirt. I wondered what was going through her young mind but had no chance to dwell on it; we'd reached our destination. I shifted Juliana so one hand was free to hold on to Susanna's. Jane opened the heavy doors, and we followed her in.

"Felix! It has been too long. I'm so happy you agreed to join us today."

Aro's smile was wide, attempting to mask the obvious lies. He turned his gaze onto Susanna, who gave my hand a tiny squeeze.

"If my information is correct, you seem to have adjusted well to this new life. I couldn't be happier to hear it."

Susanna looked at him but didn't respond. Aro's eyes shifted to Juliana for one second, and I was amazed at the amount of fear I saw in them. He quickly composed himself and looked away.

"Sulpicia, my dear, please bring out the boys."

Aro's wife turned and disappeared into the reception room, reappearing moments later with two boys in her arms. One I recognized to be Duilio, though he'd grown considerably since I'd last seen him. His hair was thick and the strangest mahogany colour, already flowing down to right beneath his shoulders. His dark eyes, almost black, held caution and suspicion as he looked at me, but it quickly turned to glee when he noticed Juliana. He looked up at Sulpicia and pointed towards my daughter, causing me to clutch her a little tighter to my chest.

The other boy was the spitting image of his father, from his white-blonde hair to his refined features. His eyes were blue as ice, staring right at me. His demeanour however, could not have been further from Caius. He looked shy, almost scared, and very gentle. I felt for the boy, knowing his father would be expecting things from him that he would not be able to live up to.

"Of course you've met my son, Felix," Aro said as he took Duilio from his wife's arms. "Susanna, this is Duilio, my heir."

He approached us slowly, his eyes flitting to Juliana every so often. She glared at Aro, her eyes narrowed, her fingers burrowing into my shirt. Duilio was still staring at Juliana with unnerving intensity. He seemed fascinated by my daughter. Juliana shifted her gaze from Aro to the boy and stared back. Duilio's face broke into a wide smile which Juliana mirrored immediately.

"They seem to like each other." Aro chuckled loudly, throwing Juliana one last, apprehensive look before turning back towards his throne.

Caius had so far not even acknowledged his son's presence; instead, he sat and watched as Sulpicia brought him to us. The boy clutched her dress, his eyes large with fright as he looked at me.

"This is Dominicus, heir to Caius," she said, trying to get the boy to let go of her. He just gripped tighter, apparently not used to company.

"Hi, sweetie. It's okay; don't be scared." Susanna's voice was soft and gentle as she spoke to the boy. He looked at her cautiously but did seem to relax a little. Susanna reached her hand up to his face and stroked his cheek. The boy startled slightly; however, he seemed to calm under her soothing touch. It made me wonder what he'd already had to endure from his father. I was all too familiar with Caius' idea of parenting, and Dominicus seemed to be even more affected by it than Lucy had been. It made me fear for the boy's future.

"Susanna, how are you enjoying life in the castle?" Aro asked, once again seated in his throne, still holding his son.

"It's okay," Susanna answered curtly.

"And the company?" Aro asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"That's none of your business," she replied angrily before adding, "With all due respect, of course."

Aro's smile faded, but he didn't address her rudeness. He remained silent for a little while before he waved his arm dismissively towards us.

"You may leave. Please report back in three days."

I nodded in confirmation. Susanna and I quickly left and went back to my room. I put Juliana down in her crib and made a call to the kitchen to get them to prepare her some food. Oddly, she had a fondness for human baby formula. It smelled disgusting to me, but, then again, all human food did. They delivered it swiftly, and Juliana drank her bottle eagerly, finishing the entire thing within minutes. Her eyes were heavy, and she soon drifted off to sleep.

"So, what was your impression of the boys?" Susanna asked me after I sat down next to her.

"I don't know, to be honest. Duilio seemed very interested in Juliana."

Susanna laughed at the resentment in my tone.

"They're only children, Felix. I doubt you'll have anything to worry about for a while. She did seem to like him too, though."

"Yes, I noticed that."

I looked at Juliana's crib, my brow furrowed as I remembered the way they'd looked at each other.

"Duilio is not Aro, Felix. There's still hope for him," Susanna said, placing her hand gently on my arm. "Dominicus, however, is a different story."

My eyes met hers as I realized we shared the same concern about Caius' son. I absentmindedly brushed a lock of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. My fingertips brushed the smooth skin of her cheek, and an unexpected warmth settled in my chest. Susanna's breathing sped up slightly, her lips parting as she looked at me. We stayed like this for a few moments, neither of us moving, before she spoke, breaking the connection.

"Tell me about Lucy."

My stomach clenched uncomfortably at the mention of her name. I lowered my hand and sighed.

"What do you want to know?" I asked uneasily.

"How was she raised? What kind of person was she?" She seemed eager to know, and I understood it was because of Dominicus.

"There's no comparing, Susanna. Caius gave up on Lucy the moment she was born. He hardly showed any interest in her at all, apart from wanting to make her feel as inferior as possible. He tried a few things, but mostly he left her in Jane's care."

Susanna stared ahead, her expression worried.

"That poor girl. She must've felt so unloved."

Guilt surged through me at her words. More than anything I wished I'd had the courage to tell her how I felt when I had the chance.

"Please don't do this. I…I can't…not yet."

Susanna gazed at me intently, her eyes full of pity.

"You need to stop blaming yourself for what happened, Felix. It wasn't your fault."

I looked away, but Susanna wouldn't let me. She grabbed my face and forced me to look at her.

"I mean it. Her death is a tragedy, but she knew how you felt, Felix. Out of everyone here, you were probably the only one that ever showed her any genuine affection."

"I loved her," I whispered, so softly that I wasn't sure Susanna had even heard it.

"I know," she replied gently. "I also know what it's like to lose the ones you love, remember? For the longest time, I saw no reason to go on. I came here to die, but, instead, I got to live again."

She smiled at me when I looked at her in surprise. I'd noticed a change, but I hadn't been sure whether she was truly happy.

"It's weird," she continued, "While I was carrying Juliana, I'd made peace with the fact that I'd never see her. I can't even imagine that now. She's truly my miracle, the reason why I still want to be here."

"I'm happy you're here. You make everything more bearable," I admitted. "I can't imagine this place without you anymore."

"I'm not going anywhere," she simply responded, smiling again.

* * *

The next day, I was wandering the castle with Demetri after leaving our daughters with Susanna. We talked about what happened the day before; he'd also been brought in to meet the boys. Demetri had actually taken quite a liking to Duilio and laughed loudly when I told him about the boy's fascination with Juliana.

"Just wait until Megan is old enough to start looking at boys," I grumbled, causing him to quiet immediately. He looked at me, completely shocked, leading me to believe he'd never so much as considered the fact that his daughter would be a grown woman one day.

"Any male that tries anything with my Megan will die a slow and painful death," he said ominously. Now it was my turn to burst into laughter, and he shot me an irritated look.

"We have a few years yet before we need to worry about it, brother. Though, seeing as she's _your_ daughter, I'd be preparing myself for the worst, if I were you," I said, still chuckling.

"Haha, very funny," Demetri replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I haven't been with a woman since Megan was born."

"Not by choice, I'm sure," I retorted.

"At least you have Susanna," he stated, taking me by surprise.

"What do you mean by that?"

He looked at me, seemingly shocked.

"Come on, Felix. Don't tell me you two never…"

"Never," I interrupted, "Not since we conceived Juliana."

Demetri stared, his mouth open.

"Seriously? Why not? You're obviously in love with her."

Now it was my turn to be shocked.

"What? No I'm not," I replied, not entirely convincing him or myself.

"Yes, you are, Felix. Deny it all you want. I see the way you look at her, and you talk about her all the time. It's very clear to everyone but you apparently."

Demetri's words rang in my mind. Was it true; was I in love with the mother of my child? I couldn't deny I had deep feelings for Susanna, but love…

"Lucy…" I whispered, her name escaping me before I could think about it.

"Is dead," Demetri simply stated. "She'd want nothing more than for you to be happy, Felix."

My thoughts went back to Susanna. The way she smiled at every little thing Juliana did, the way she mothered our little girl with such care. She was certainly beautiful, and my stomach did a little flip when I remembered her naked body beneath me. My name falling from her lips as I'd brought her to climax. The same plump, rose-coloured lips that had begged me to kiss her. I gasped when the realization hit me; Demetri was right.

"I have to talk to her," I said, stunned at the fact I hadn't seen this before.

"Don't let me stop you," Demetri replied with a smirk.

o-o

I walked slowly, not sure how I was going to approach the subject. So many thoughts were going through my mind that I had a hard time keeping track of them. What if she didn't feel the same way about me? Would that change things between us, make it uncomfortable? Could I handle the rejection? I nearly lost my nerve when I finally reached my room. Taking a deep breath, I turned the handle and entered. Susanna was standing over Juliana's crib, smiling happily at the sleeping little girl.

"Hi," she said as I stood in the doorway. "You're back early. Is everything okay? You look a bit flustered."

Her brow furrowed as she took me in. I couldn't move or speak, and eventually she raised her eyebrows.

"Felix, is something wrong?"

Still unable to speak, I simply ran to her and took her in my arms. She gasped in shock, her eyes wide. I hesitated for only a second before lifting her face and pressing my mouth to hers. The moment our lips touched, a happiness filled me that I'd thought I'd never feel again. I kissed her without abandon and was surprised when she kissed me back with equal force. Her hands roamed my chest, gripping my shirt as she pulled me closer to her. We kissed for the longest time before I finally broke away. We both gasped for unneeded air as our foreheads connected. I smiled, and she smiled back, her expression slightly dazed.

"So you finally figured it out, huh?" she said, smirking slightly.

"You knew?" I asked, shocked.

She nodded, a giggle escaping her.

"You had to figure it out yourself, Felix. You were going through so much. But yes, it was pretty obvious," she answered.

"What about you? How do you feel?" I asked, needing to hear her say it.

"I've been in love with you from the moment I met you," she whispered shyly, taking me by complete surprise. "I denied it for the longest time, since there was no point. You were in love with Lucy, and I was going to join Alex. It also made me feel incredibly guilty towards my family. I always thought Alex would be the only man I could ever love."

"I'm sorry I didn't realize sooner," I said, kissing her forehead.

"It's okay; I think we both needed the time," she replied.

I pulled her close and kissed her again, tenderly at first, but quickly becoming more passionate. Our hands explored each other's bodies eagerly. When I cupped her breast and squeezed it gently, she moaned before quickly breaking away.

"Not with Juliana here," she said, pointing at our sleeping daughter.

"We'll have to get Demetri to babysit. Soon," I responded, grinning at her.

Susanna grinned back, her red eyes full of desire.

"Very soon," she responded, grabbing her phone from the bed.

As Susanna called Demetri and told him to pick up our daughter, I looked at the woman that would soon be completely mine. Inside my mind, I said goodbye to Lucy one last time, promising to always love her, before finally welcoming Susanna into my heart. Everything was finally falling into place.

* * *

**I have been struck by the flu this week. Did this stop me, you ask? No! Then why the late update? I was writing something else...The next BIG chapter of Fallen Princess! That's right! It's done and ready to be posted. I estimate two more chapters of Absolution before I will, so hopefully one more week...**

**In the meantime, the wonderful Leanne Golightly has made a fanvideo for Fallen Princess!It's awesome and I can't thank her enough! Check it out, the link is on my profile. **

**A reminder that coming Wednesday my Wicked Wednesday submission will go up on www . myvampfiction . com. An AU Felix/Lucy/Demetri!**

**Last but not least, thanks to:**

**Jkane180 - ...tumbleweed... (quick! hide!)**

**SusanAshlea - Next chapter bb...**


	12. The Calm before the Storm

**Here be lemons...enjoy!**

* * *

"Again? Can't you ask Jane? I'd like some time to myself too, you know."

Demetri was obviously upset at my request to take Juliana for a while. Susanna wrapped her arms around me from behind, letting her hands glide teasingly down my stomach. I gasped when one of them found its way into my pants and started stroking up and down my hardened length. In my ear, Demetri let out a frustrated sigh.

"Fine, I'll come. But could you hold off on the good stuff until after I pick up your daughter?"

I chuckled lightly as he hung up on me.

"He'd better hurry up," Susanna whispered in my ear, her hand still working me.

"You're a wicked woman," I said, reluctantly forcing her hand away from me.

Susanna pouted seductively when I turned to face her, and I couldn't help but lean in to kiss her. She lay back on her elbows as I hovered over her, and her legs wrapped around me, pulling me to her. She moaned loudly, letting her head fall back, when I pushed myself against her, creating the most delightful friction.

"Seriously! Do you want that kid to be scarred for life?"

Neither of us had heard Demetri come in as we were too preoccupied to notice. I moved off her and both of us sat up. Demetri walked towards Juliana's crib and lifted the little girl. She opened her eyes, looking dazed for a moment before closing them again and snuggling against Demetri.

"This is the last time, Felix. Next time you can call Jane."

He turned and left, slamming the door behind him.

"I think he's upset," Susanna stated, giggling.

"He's just jealous," I replied, already moving my hands over her again.

It had been a week since I realized how I felt about her, and it had been, without a doubt, the most amazing week of my life. At night, we'd used every opportunity to express our feelings for each other, sneaking around the castle, christening every room. The days were spent with our daughter, playing in the garden. Most of the time Demetri and Megan joined us, though Demetri was quickly becoming fed up with our public displays of affection. Neither Susanna nor I cared very much; we were inside our own little bubble of bliss.

Susanna moaned again when my hand squeezed one of her breasts, my thumb gently stroking the nipple, causing it to harden beneath my touch. She pushed me onto my back, straddling me, and forcefully ripped my shirt away from my chest. She smirked before leaning in and tracing her tongue over my skin from my collarbone, all the way down to my stomach, biting every now and again, driving me completely wild. With eager hands, she unbuttoned my pants and wasted no time freeing my cock and taking it into her mouth. My breathing sped up to the point where it became hard to control as I writhed beneath her experienced touch; Susanna knew exactly what I liked. My hands entwined in her hair, pulling her up.

"You do that too well, Suzy," I said, my voice hoarse with desire for her. She cried out in shock when I flipped her over and pulled her jeans down in one swift move. The scent of her arousal hit me hard, causing venom to pool in my mouth. Susanna hastily took off her panties, looking at me with heavily lidded eyes. I pushed my hands against her thighs, opening them, revealing the source of that heavenly, intoxicating scent.

I placed a tender kiss on the inside of her thigh, letting my tongue slide out to taste the sweetness of her skin. Slowly, I licked my way up until my tongue touched the soft flesh of her sex. I couldn't help the groan that escaped me; never in my life had I tasted anything as exquisite as this. I wrapped my arms around her, placing my hands on her stomach as I eagerly licked between her folds, flicking her clit with the tip of my tongue.

"Oh yes, Felix, just like that," she moaned, lifting her hips to meet my mouth.

I buried my face between her legs, relishing in the pleasure I was giving Susanna. Her little moans and whimpers only fuelled my own desire for her. I sucked on her clit, just like I knew she liked it, and she screamed my name as her orgasm overtook her. Her legs trembled violently as I lapped up every last drop of her essence.

"Felix... Stop, too much," she whispered, panting as she pulled me up.

My pants were quickly lost, as were the rest of our clothes. Torn fabric flew through the room, but neither of us cared as we kissed, touched and caressed each other with frantic need. Susanna pulled and clawed at my skin, digging her nails deep into my back when I took her nipple between my teeth and bit down.

"Fuck!" she cried out in pleasure, arching her back.

She wrapped her legs around me, her heels digging into my ass as she pushed me against her.

"Do it, Felix. Now," she hissed.

Unable to resist her any longer, I pushed myself inside of her completely. Both of us gasped at the sensation. No matter how many times we did this, I would never grow tired of this feeling. I set a quick pace, and she met me thrust for thrust.

"You feel so good, Suzy. Ugh…"

Susanna pulled me to her and kissed me passionately. Her tongue licked my lips before seeking entrance into my mouth. Both of us moaned as we were rapidly approaching our climax. She squeezed my ass, pushing me deeper into her, trying to create more friction. I knew what she wanted, so I reached between us and rubbed her clit. She only needed a few strokes before she came again, clenching around me, pulling me over the edge with her. I collapsed on top of her, trembling slightly in the aftermath of my orgasm.

"I love you, Felix," she said, sighing contently.

I lifted my head and looked up at her.

"I love you too, Susanna," I replied, smiling.

A few hours and many repeats later, the phone rang. Susanna lazily leaned over the edge of the bed, picking the phone off the floor and looking at the display.

"It's Demetri," she stated before handing it to me.

I flipped it open and pressed it to my ear.

"This better be good," I growled as Susanna pressed teasing kisses to my chest.

"Oh, it's good," Demetri replied, sounding excited. "You'd better come see this. I think I figured out why Aro is so scared of Juliana."

Susanna looked up, her eyes wide in surprise; she'd heard Demetri's every word.

"We'll be right there," I said, snapping the phone shut.

We got dressed quickly, both of us anxious to find out what Demetri had discovered. Five minutes later we'd reached his room and knocked on the door.

"Come on in!" he said, swinging the door open, a big grin on his face.

"So what is it? What do you know?" Susanna asked him, sounding almost frantic.

"Easy there. It's better if I show you. Alec?"

Only when Demetri mentioned his name did I notice Alec and Jane standing by Juliana and Megan. The two girls were sitting up, engrossed in a puzzle they were putting together. Alec kneeled down beside Juliana, and she looked up at him.

"Juliana, how about we show your father what you can do?" he asked her, smiling gently.

She looked at me apprehensively, seeking permission.

"Go ahead, honey," I urged her.

Juliana reached her arms up to Alec, who picked her up and sat her down on the bed. He then stood back and gazed at her, a look in his eyes that I knew all too well.

"No!" I roared, lunging myself at Alec. Demetri grabbed my arm and held me back.

"Just watch, Felix. I promise nothing bad will happen. Not to Juliana at least." He chuckled, and I stared at him angrily.

"Have you two been experimenting on my daughter?" I hissed.

"No, I swear! I'll explain in a minute. For now, just watch."

He inclined his head towards Juliana, who looked at me impatiently, her brow furrowed. I relaxed my stance, but only slightly. I wanted to be ready if Juliana needed me. Demetri nodded at Alec, who turned his gaze on Juliana again. Slowly, I could see his paralyzing mist creep towards her, and I strained, ready to stop Alec, but the mist suddenly evaporated. I looked between them, thoroughly confused, and then Demetri nudged me.

"Look," he said, pointing at my daughter.

Juliana stared intently at Alec, her eyes dark and focused. I gasped in complete shock when I noticed a shimmer in the air around her, quickly turning into the same mist that was Alec's trademark. She wrinkled her tiny nose in concentration as the mist crept forward until it reached Alec, who immediately blanked out. Demetri stepped forward and raised his hand in front of Alec's face, waving it up and down a few times.

"Completely gone," he said, grinning widely.

"What the hell…" I whispered, unable to even think straight.

"What does this mean?" Susanna asked, sounding as shocked as I was.

Jane moved over and lifted Juliana off the bed, causing the connection to break.

"That's enough," she said curtly, carrying my daughter back to Megan, who had been looking on curiously.

Alec stretched, a bewildered look on his face.

"She was playing with Megan," Demetri started. "They were passing some toys between them, deciding on what to do, when suddenly I noticed that neither of them were using their hands."

Susanna gasped and brought her hand to her mouth. Demetri continued.

"At first I thought that maybe Juliana had the same power as Megan, but then I remembered what had happened with Aro, and it got me thinking. So I brought in Jane and Alec to help me out."

Demetri raised his hand when I growled.

"Don't worry, I had no intention of using Jane's power to test her, but don't you see, Felix? Juliana steals power. No wonder Aro fears her; she's more powerful than any of us!"

I looked at my daughter, completely stunned. She giggled as she pressed another piece of the puzzle into place, and Megan clapped her hands in glee. They were just two little girls, but yet they were already so powerful. Fear filled me as I wondered what this would mean in the long run. Surely Aro would want to use them to his advantage. But what had Juliana seen inside the Elder's mind that made him so afraid of her? And why hadn't he told us about this?

"No one mentions this to Aro. I don't want him to know that we know. Understood?"

I looked around the room, making sure everyone had heard me.

"You know there's no way to hide this from him, should he use his power," Jane said solemnly.

"Then we'll just have to avoid him as much as we can," I replied angrily. "I don't want him anywhere near my daughter."

I quickly crossed the room and picked her up, hugging her against me. She sighed contently and closed her eyes, seemingly tired.

"I'm taking her back now. Remember, not a word to anyone about this," I repeated one last time, before leaving the room, Susanna close behind me. Neither of us spoke as we both considered what this revelation might mean. Juliana dozed off in my arms, blissfully unaware of the severity of the situation. I intended to keep it that way for as long as fate would allow.

* * *

Everyone kept their word, and the Elders remained oblivious to what was going on. We reported when needed, did what was asked and even Susanna attempted to be polite to Aro. Luckily, he didn't need us for much; the children were the main priority right now. They progressed frighteningly fast. Duilio started walking first, closely followed by Megan, who also spoke her first words at the same time. Not surprisingly, she wouldn't shut up after that and chatted all day long about anything and everything she could think of. Juliana took her first steps a few days after Megan did, but to this day, had not yet spoken. It didn't bother me; she was more of an observer anyway, and she gladly listened to her friend's stories.

Dominicus was the last to walk, much to Caius' dismay. He didn't seem to realize that the more he threatened the boy, the more he was holding him back. Dominicus cringed every time his father spoke, and, even though I wouldn't have thought it possible, it made me hate the Elder even more than I already did. Susanna and I had talked it through and decided that if we could find a way to escape, we were bringing Dominicus along.

It was two weeks after we'd found out about Juliana's power that Susanna and I were walking through the hallways of the castle, going nowhere in particular. Juliana was running in front of us, stopping every now and again to see if we were still behind her. Whenever she thought we were going too slow, she'd look at us impatiently, her brow furrowed and her nose scrunched up. It made her look incredibly cute, causing me to smile every time.

"She gets that from you, you know," I said, pulling Susanna into my side.

"No way; you're the impatient one," she retorted, attempting to push me from her.

I just held her tighter and kissed the top of her head.

"It's so easy to forget where we are sometimes, isn't it?" she said, smiling up at me.

"Being near you and Juliana makes me happier than I could've ever imagined. Nothing can ruin that, not even the Elders," I replied, smiling back.

"We've been blessed," she whispered, snuggling into my side.

I wrapped my arms around her as we came to a complete stop in the middle of the corridor.

"I love you, my Suzy. I don't know what I would do without you."

"I love you too, Felix. I'm thankful every day that you made the decision to turn me."

We kissed, tender and loving, all of our emotions pouring into the gesture. Susanna had become vital to my existence; without her, I was nothing. Juliana kept playing, running up and down the hall as her mother and I enjoyed our embrace, only breaking it when we heard the protesting cries of little Megan coming towards us. Demetri was running, his daughter on his hip and a frantic look on his face. He didn't even seem to notice us until Megan screamed Susanna's name and reached out to her.

"What's up? You seem to be in a rush," Susanna said as she took Megan from him.

Demetri ran his hand through his hair, and I noticed he was trembling slightly. He didn't meet my eyes, and dread filled me as I thought of all the possible things that could've caused him to behave like this. I grabbed his shoulder and forced him to face me.

"Something's wrong. Tell me! Is it Aro?" I urged.

"No. I…I can't tell you. I don't know. It's impossible…this shouldn't be happening…"

I grabbed both his shoulders now, shaking him roughly.

"Tell me now, Demetri!"

He finally looked at me before casting a nervous glance at Susanna.

"I can feel her. I don't know how it's possible, but I can. It's as clear as it was before."

I stopped breathing in anticipation of his words. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I already knew what he was going to say.

"She's alive, Felix. Lucy is alive."

* * *

**One more chapter to go before I can post Fallen Princess again! Yay!**

**Special thanks to:**

**Jkane180, the beta: As Dr. Evil says to mini-me; you complete me **

**Browns and Scorp_112: Thanks you for Juliana's kick-ass power!**

**SusanAshlea: I hope you likey!  
**


	13. Mutiny

**Here it is...the final chapter before I post the big Fallen Princess one. Which...drumroll...will happen later today! Enjoy...**

* * *

"Impossible…"

I stood there, so many things running through my mind. Lucy was alive, Demetri could feel her. How had this happened? Where was she? Was she safe? I couldn't voice a single one of those questions, however, as my voice seemed to have left me.

"Who's Lucy?" Megan asked, looking at her father and me with obvious curiosity.

"Not now, honey," Demetri replied. "Go play with Juliana."

Susanna put Megan down, and she reluctantly joined my daughter, who'd been watching quietly from a distance. As soon as the two girls were far enough away, I turned back to Demetri.

"Where is she?"

"Germany; that's all I know," he responded.

"I don't get it. Why now? How is any of this even possible?" I asked, completely stunned.

I turned my back on both Demetri and Susanna, trying to find some composure. It was hard to keep my emotions under control right now, and I didn't want either of them to see. The words kept running through my mind, over and over again – _Lucy is alive_.

"I have no idea, this has never happened to me before," Demetri responded, sounding insecure.

By taking deep, steadying breaths, I somehow managed not to fall apart. I turned back slowly, avoiding Susanna's eyes.

"What do we do?" I whispered, already aware of the answer.

"We have to tell Aro," he stated, confirming my thoughts.

"No, Demetri, we can't! You know he'll want to find her. Imagine what he'll _do_ to her."

My voice was frantic as I tried to make him see sense.

"He'll find out eventually, Felix, and then what? There'll be consequences for all of us, including them." He indicated his head towards our daughters, who were standing together a little further down the hall. My insides clenched uncomfortably, knowing he was right. Aro would find out, and he would use it against us.

"Let's find Jane and Alec first," I decided, needing the extra time to wrap my head around all this.

Demetri hesitated, looking torn, before nodding once.

"Okay, let's go."

"Wait," Susanna said, grabbing my arm. "Are you sure about this?"

She addressed Demetri, who eyed her with what seemed to be pity.

"She's alive, Susanna."

Their exchange confused me for a second, but I didn't dwell on it; there was no time to waste.

"We need to go now," I urged, feeling anxious. "Susanna, will you take care of the girls please?"

She raised her eyebrows, and, for a moment, she appeared hurt, which took me by surprise. Her look quickly changed to anger, and she glared at me with narrowed eyes.

"No, Felix, I'm coming." Without waiting for a response, she turned and retrieved the girls, who were looking on anxiously. Even Megan looked subdued as they seemed to understand that something big was going on. They followed Susanna silently, holding on to her hands, as we walked towards Jane and Alec's room.

o-O-o

"Are you certain?" Jane asked Demetri in shock.

"You know, I'm really tired of all of you asking me that. Do you really think I would lie about something like this?" he replied angrily.

"We can't hide this from Aro," Alec spoke softly, sounding on edge.

"I know, but we wanted to tell you first. We need to figure out how to handle this. You know he's going to want to find her straight away," Demetri answered.

I turned my back on the people in the room and clenched my fists. Once again I seemed to be unable to protect the ones I loved. Keeping Lucy's secret would eventually put my family at risk, but telling Aro that Lucy was alive would undoubtedly have dire consequences for my first love. My chest constricted uncomfortably at the thought of seeing Lucy again. I had no doubt of my love for Susanna, and my devotion to her and our baby girl, but would seeing Lucy change that? I released a shuddering sigh and pulled a hand through my hair. Right then, something tugged at my sleeve, and I looked down to find my daughter staring up at me, her arms outstretched. I lifted her, and she immediately threw her tiny arms around my neck, twisting her hands into my hair. Her curls tickled my cheek as I pressed my face against her. A weight was lifted when I held my daughter in my arms. Juliana was what mattered most; she and her mother. We could protect Lucy - and we would - but my family was my priority.

Juliana's nose touched my cheek as she turned her face to look at me. I pressed a kiss against her forehead.

"I love you, sweetie," I whispered, making her smile widely. I put her down on the ground, turned to Susanna and wrapped my arms around her. She stiffened slightly but eventually leaned into me and sighed. Just having her close soothed me beyond belief, and I quietly thanked my smart little girl for reminding me of what was important.

"We'll go to Aro now. I don't want this hanging over any of our heads. The time has come to pick a side, and I, for one, will have no problem going against him if he so much as tries to lay a hand on Lucy," I stated grimly, looking around the room.

"Same here," Demetri responded immediately, a determined look on his face.

Alec and Jane remained quiet for the longest time, exchanging anxious glances. Eventually, Jane looked at me and simply nodded. Satisfied with their response, I turned my attention to the woman in my arms, who stared up at me defiantly.

"Don't even think about it, Felix. I'm coming with you."

I smiled sadly, knowing there was no point in arguing, and nor did I want to. As scared as I was for her to get caught up in this, I also didn't want to be separated from her.

"It's settled then. Let's go."

Susanna took the girls, and we all made our way to the Royal room. We walked slowly, none of us eager to do this, but we found ourselves at the door faster than any of us desired. There was no putting it off any longer.

The Elders looked surprised when we entered, and Caius immediately rose from his throne.

"What's the meaning of this?" he demanded, looking between us, visibly irritated.

"We have news," I began, glancing at Demetri. He stepped forward and looked at Aro.

"Master, something has happened."

I saw him take a deep breath, and his voice shook a little as he continued.

"I don't know how this happened, but I can sense Lucy again. She's alive and in Germany."

Aro stared at us in utter disbelief. Beside him, Caius fell back into his throne in complete shock, while Marcus leaned forward to speak.

"How is this possible?" he asked in amazement.

Demetri stiffened and looked uncomfortable.

"I don't know, Master," he admitted.

Marcus slowly sank back into his throne, a contemplative look on his face. Aro rose and advanced on Demetri. All of us froze in fear of his next move.

"Where in Germany?" he urged, a manic look in his eyes.

"The South," Demetri reluctantly answered.

Aro turned towards the two human servants that always lingered in the corner.

"Prepare the plane. We're going to Germany," he ordered, and the humans quickly scurried from the room. "Sulpicia, dearest. I need you to look after Duilio and Dominicus in my absence."

Sulpicia approached her husband and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"Of course, my love," she said, smiling before exiting the room.

"I'll ask Heidi to take care of the girls," Aro told Susanna dismissively.

Susanna hugged the girls closer to her, and I knew she was thinking the same thing I was. They couldn't be separated from us. If we were forced to choose sides today, there was no way we would be able to come back for them.

"That won't be necessary, Master. The girls will be coming with us."

Aro gave me a strange look but didn't fight me. Instead, he walked back to his brothers and sat down.

The room went silent as we waited for the humans to give us word that the plane was ready. Susanna used this time to change the girls into something more appropriate for travel and also packed a small bag for them. In the meantime, I tried to avoid everyone's eyes as much as I could, fearful of giving away how we were truly feeling. Caius and Aro whispered fast and frantically and, though I was trying not to pay attention, I couldn't help but catch some of their hushed exchange. My anger rose to a level where it was almost impossible to control when I heard the word _punishment_ coming from Caius. I would be damned if he would be able to touch Lucy.

After what seemed like an eternity, the humans came back with word that the plane was ready and waiting. Aro, Caius and Marcus led the way as we walked towards the underground exit and made our way to the cars. Juliana crawled onto my lap and quickly fell asleep as we moved through the sunlit countryside while Megan had her nose pressed against the window, too excited to sleep. Susanna leaned into me, her expression still worried. I pressed my lips to her hair, inhaling the sweet, honey-like fragrance that was most potent there.

Juliana never woke while we boarded the plane, and by that time Megan was also fast asleep in Demetri's arms. I smiled slightly, knowing she would've enjoyed seeing the plane and would hate the fact that she'd missed it. We settled into the cabin, both Demetri and I holding onto our daughters, unable to put them down. Once we were high in the air, Aro stood and addressed us. It strangely reminded me of the last time I was on board this jet, flying to that unknown island in the Mediterranean where I first met my Susanna. I clearly remembered my apprehension towards this mission and the doubts I felt about becoming a father. I stroked Juliana's hair, and she sighed happily in her sleep. It all seemed so long ago, and I couldn't imagine being without my daughter or her mother ever again.

"Before we land, I want to make this perfectly clear. We're here to retrieve Luciana and bring her home. I don't know why she left or how she escaped Demetri's power, nor do I care. Luciana belongs with us, and she will come back to Volterra, whatever it may take."

None of us spoke, but I knew all of us felt the same fear at Aro's words. He was clearly upset that somehow she'd been able to deceive him. He'd want to punish her, of that I was certain. It was up to us to stop him, but I had no idea how. Fear gripped me as I suddenly realized the position we were in and the consequences it may have.

"I love you, Susanna," I whispered into her ear.

"I love you too," she whispered back, turning her face towards me and pressing her lips against mine. It was a chaste kiss, but yet it ignited a fire deep within me; a passion to protect my family against whatever threat, even if that meant defying the most powerful vampires in the world.

We landed in the South of Germany at a private airport far away from prying eyes. This time we didn't bother with cars, but ran straight towards the cover of the trees. Demetri was in front, Megan once again wide awake in his arms. Juliana was slowly waking up as well, her eyes widening as she took in her surroundings. After ten minutes, Aro called out for us to stop. We slowed and congregated around the Elder, unsure of what he wanted.

"Felix, I need you to go in alone."

I looked at Aro in shock while Susanna's hand squeezed mine forcefully.

"Luciana trusts you; she won't run away from you. You will approach her first, and then we'll all bring her home."

I narrowed my eyes, barely able to conceal my contempt. He wanted me to placate her, to make her feel safe, so they could swoop in and drag her back. It took me great effort to keep the rage out of my voice when I answered him.

"As you wish, Master."

"No! Please, don't do this, Felix," Susanna pleaded, surprising me.

I turned my back on the group and faced Susanna, shielding her from view.

"I have to, Suzy. You know that," I told her, caressing her face.

"I don't want to lose you." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but I could clearly hear the desperation behind her statement.

"You won't; I'll be fine. Everyone will be close; nothing bad will happen, I promise." I smiled at her, trying to calm her nerves.

"That's not what I meant, Felix," she whispered, almost seeming embarrassed.

I was confused for a moment, before it dawned on me what she was trying to say.

"Oh god, Susanna, no! Honey, look at me," I urged, lifting her face so she would meet my eyes.

"You're everything to me, Suzy. The fact that Lucy is alive is wonderful, but it doesn't make me stop loving you. Nothing can change how I feel about you. I love you so much"

I kissed her passionately, trying to convey exactly how I felt. When I finally released her, she was smiling again.

"I love you too. Please come back soon."

Susanna took Juliana from me, and I kissed them both one last time before facing Aro.

"I'm ready, Master."

"Good. Demetri, please tell Felix where to go," he ordered.

"She's North-East from here, just keep walking in that direction, and eventually you'll meet her."

I nodded at Demetri and Aro, ready to walk in the direction he'd pointed out to me when, behind me, Caius spoke.

"Don't even think about running, Felix. You wouldn't want your precious family to get hurt."

I turned slowly, a low growl escaping my chest. I twitched, ready to attack Caius, who was smirking at me, happy that his threat had the desired effect.

"Now, now, there's no need for this. Felix has served us loyally, Caius. I'm sure he'll not fail us."

I avoided Aro's eyes as I nodded and quickly turned and ran off. I was in a hurry to get away from the Elders before I wouldn't be able to control myself any longer. I ran for a long time, deftly moving through the trees and avoiding the low-hanging branches. I tried not to think about what was about to happen, but, instead, tried to focus on Susanna's face in my mind. Light filtered through the trees ahead of me, indicating a small clearing. I slowed, unsure of whether it would be a public place. I doubted it, but I had to be careful. I walked up to the edge of the tree line and stared at the wide open space when, suddenly, it hit me.

_Lilacs and lilies._

At the same time, I caught movement at the other side of the clearing. My breath caught when I saw Lucy staring back at me. We looked at each other for a moment before she suddenly ran towards me. I opened my arms and caught her, losing myself in the joy I felt at holding her close. Lucy's scent overwhelmed me as it surrounded me immediately. Her silk hair was still smooth beneath my hands, her body as warm as I remembered. For a moment, I forgot where I was or why I was here, all I knew was that Lucy was alive and in my arms.

"Oh, Lucy, I missed you so much. I have so many things to tell you."

"Felix, I'm so sorry for everything. I didn't want to hurt you, but I had to leave. I had no choice."

The sound of her voice filled me with happiness. For the longest time, I'd believed I'd never hear it again, but here she was, her face pressed tight into the crook of my neck.

"What made you leave?" I asked, needing to know the answer.

"I got lost in the castle the night Aro's son was born," she answered, her voice trembling.

I gasped when I realized she knew everything. I wondered exactly how much she'd seen or heard, but decided not to ask; there wasn't time for that now.

"I'm so sorry, Lucy, so very sorry," I told her instead.

Eventually, I released her and gazed at her. She was still as breathtakingly beautiful as I remembered, yet she'd changed. I couldn't put my finger on what it was, but there was definitely something there that hadn't been there before.

"You look different; more mature somehow," I told her. At that same moment, I caught a familiar, disgusting scent. I sniffed the air, trying to remember what it was when I realized it was coming from her.

"You smell like…" With shock, I suddenly remembered the source of the scent. I leaned in and whispered as softly as I could, aware that the others would not be far away now.

"The shape shifters; are they here?"

"Yes," she whispered back.

"The Cullens?" I asked, realization suddenly dawning on me.

"Yes," she answered again.

An incredible sense of pride overtook me when I understood that Lucy had been smart enough to ask for help from the only people that would be able to stop the Elders.

"The shield. Of course, it all makes sense now," I whispered, smiling at her. She smiled back before her face suddenly fell.

"Felix, did you…are you…" She seemed to struggle for a moment, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Do you have a baby too?"

I couldn't look at her, ashamed of the fact that she'd been forced to find out this way.

"It's okay, Felix. I'm not upset."

Lucy smiled at me, and I honestly couldn't detect any hurt in her eyes. She did seem okay with it.

"It's a girl," I told her, smiling as I thought of my daughter. "Her name is Juliana, after your mother."

Her eyes went wide with surprise as she processed my words. She was quiet for a few moments before responding.

"I never knew my mother's name. Thank you."

We gazed into each other's eyes, and for a second, it was so easy to forget everything that was going on. Without thinking, we both stepped closer, involuntarily drawn to each other and unable to stop it. The intoxicating scent of flowers clouded my mind, making me lean into her. There was longing in her eyes, which I was sure would be reflected in mine. Just as we were about to cross a line, she pulled back, snapping me out of my trance, and immediately, I felt an incredible amount of guilt at almost betraying my love. Lucy was my past; Susanna was my present and my future.

"Felix, there's something I need to tell you," she started, and I was surprised to see my own guilt mirrored in her expression.

"That can wait. There are more pressing matters at hand. Like why you decided to lie and deceive your own family."

Lucy's colour drained at the sound of Aro's voice. As she turned to face her family, I stood beside her, unable to leave her unprotected. I was about to do something that I would not be able to come back from; I was ready to defy the Volturi for the sake of everyone I loved. This was it; the moment we'd been waiting for. After today, nothing would be the same.

* * *

**Eek! Getting nervous now...Hope you like what's coming next...**

**Oh, and all of you should read Red Eyes and the She-Wolf by Leanne Golightly. Leah/Demetri, so hot...**

**Thanks to:**

**Jkane180, the Beta - for being a good mommy**

**Megsly - For your pre-reading skillzzzz. Heart you.  
**


	14. Downfall

My eyes searched for Susanna, only to find her staring back at me in confusion. She looked at me, then at Lucy, before looking back at me again. I stood frozen, torn between protecting Lucy and standing beside my family, but as much as I didn't want to give Susanna the wrong idea, I couldn't leave Lucy's side right now. I'd made a promise to her mother, and for once, I was going to honour that promise. I'd already failed her too many times in the past.

Aro glared at Lucy, awaiting an answer, but she remained silent. I looked at her, trying to find out why, when I noticed her eyes were fixed on Susanna and the girls. Her brow was furrowed, her gaze confused, until suddenly, I saw comprehension dawn on her face. She gasped and looked up at me.

"The mother of your child is alive?"

I nodded, wanting to explain, but, before I could, Aro interrupted.

"Luciana, _look at me_."

Lucy stiffened, raising her chin in the air and looking her uncle straight in the eyes. She looked strong, powerful; a far cry from the girl she was only weeks ago. Lucy was truly a woman now, and I couldn't help but wonder what had been the reason behind that change.

"Yes, Uncle Aro?" she retorted, not a hint of fear in her voice.

"I'm very disappointed in you. Leading your loved ones to believe you're dead is not a nice thing to do. Would you mind telling us why you deemed it necessary?"

Lucy didn't flinch and remained defiant. I could hear the threat behind Aro's words, however, and I moved closer to her, ready to protect her if needed. I was shocked when she reached back and grabbed my wrist, forcing me to stay where I was. I reluctantly complied but remained on guard.

"I had my reasons," she replied with a strong voice.

"Please share with us; the people who mourned your loss," Aro stated, throwing out his arms to indicate the people around him. His eyes shot to me ever so briefly, but I caught the uncertainty in his glance. When Lucy didn't immediately reply, Aro stepped forward impatiently. I moved closer, my whole body tensed in anticipation of his next move. Lucy's grip on my wrist intensified as she held me back. I stayed where I was only because she wanted me to, knowing I could easily break her grasp if needed.

"I'll give you one last chance to explain yourself, Luciana."

Aro's face twisted, his anger evident on his face. He wasn't used to Lucy's defiance, and by the look on his face, he didn't like it. Lucy extended her hand to him, a smirk on her face.

"Take it, Uncle. You know you want to."

She shivered at his touch when he grabbed her hand. He leaned in, eager to finally have access to her mind again. Watching the exchange sickened me; it went against my very nature to allow him to touch her, but I had no choice. All I could do was watch as he invaded her thoughts, picking out her memories, as he'd done with me so many times. I'd always hated the intrusion and the complete lack of privacy, and I would make sure that none of us ever had to endure it again. I startled when Aro abruptly pulled away from Lucy, a look of complete shock on his face. He stumbled back a few steps in an ungraceful manner that was very unlike him. I smiled when I understood that he now knew the Cullens and wolves were close.

"What have you _done_?"

Behind him, everyone looked on in confusion, unaware of what was really going on. Caius was obviously seething; his eyes were full of rage as he looked at his daughter. Aro turned quickly and advanced on Jane.

"Do it, Jane! Now!"

I immediately shifted my eyes to Jane, anxious to see what she was going to do. She remained frozen, eyeing Aro nervously. Beside her, I noticed Alec stiffen, his hand wrapping tighter around his sister's.

"No," she said, surprising all of us.

I noticed her eyes shift to Lucy for only a moment, giving a small nod. A flurry of emotions ran through me as I watched the Guard divide and take sides. Without Jane and Alec, Aro was powerless, and he knew it.

"How dare you ignore a direct order, Jane! You will do as you're told! Now, punish Luciana."

He was unable to keep up his usual pretence, his rage clear for everyone to see as he desperately tried to regain control of the situation. Jane remained still, staring at her superior with unabashed rebellion. Aro turned away from her, a manic expression on his face, and marched towards Lucy.

"If none of you will do as you're told, I'll just have to do the job myself."

Now it was my turn. No matter how much Lucy wanted to stand on her own, there was no way she could take her uncle if it came to a physical fight. With one quick motion, I positioned myself in front of her, shielding her from Aro. I growled in warning, forcing him to stop.

"You'll have to go through me," I hissed.

Aro retreated a few steps, staring at me in shock. His eyes widened even further as Demetri joined me within seconds.

"And me," he said, glancing back at Lucy for a moment before glaring defiantly at Aro.

"Would someone be so kind as to inform me what the hell is going on?" Caius demanded.

He looked between all of us, his rage apparent. Caius didn't like being out of the loop, and I could see he was close to losing it completely. Suddenly, there was movement everywhere. Vampires flew across the field at great speed, and at the same time, giant wolves approached slowly, growling with fangs bared. Among them was one man, a shape shifter, judging by his appearance. I wondered why he was still in his human form when I noticed he was walking straight towards Lucy, scowling at me and Demetri as he did.

"Embry, what are you doing?" Lucy spoke from behind us.

I glanced back at her and noticed the great amount of worry in her face. It was clear to me that she cared about this man.

"Standing by your side, as I should," he replied to her question as he reached her and grabbed hold of her hand. He looked at me and Demetri, and we, in turn, looked at him. The way she leaned into him, the concern that was written all over her face made it suddenly clear to me; Lucy loved him. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face at this realization. All the while I'd been afraid of how she'd react to Susanna, but that was now no longer an issue; she'd found a love of her own. I nodded at her, and she smiled shyly, leaning in closer to the man next to her. Demetri and I both relaxed our stance and moved aside to allow them to step forward.

"_Wolves?_ My daughter is running around with _wolve_s_?_"

Caius looked angrier than I'd ever seen him, appearing almost deranged as he breathed heavily before speaking again.

"You little _slut_! It wasn't enough that you embarrassed me by fucking the entire Guard, now you have to shame this family further by screwing a _dog_?"

I hissed in anger, and beside me, Demetri twitched. Caius had gone too far; there was no way we would ever serve him again.

"Not just screwing, _Caius_. Embry is my fiancé," she replied boldly.

Demetri looked at me, his eyebrows raised slightly, and I knew he was as surprised at the news as I was. I shrugged my shoulders at Demetri, and he grinned, shaking his head in disbelief.

"You have a wonderful daughter," Embry started, causing both me and Demetri to focus our attention on him. "She's smart, beautiful and incredibly brave. I'm proud that she wants to be my wife. It's a shame you can't see her for what she is."

If there was any doubt in my mind about his love for Lucy, it was gone now, and I couldn't help but like Embry. Lucy looked up at him affectionately, pulling at his arm. I averted my eyes as he leaned in to kiss her and looked for Susanna. She was standing at a slight distance from the rest of the group, eyeing the Cullens and wolves with apprehension. Juliana was clinging onto her leg, looking around fearfully, while Megan stood still on Susanna's other side, staring at Lucy and Embry. As if she sensed my gaze, Susanna's eyes found mine. I smiled at her, and she smiled back apprehensively. I made a silent vow to myself to show her exactly how much I loved her as soon as I got the chance; I never wanted her to doubt my feelings for her again.

"No!"

All of us startled as Caius roared, and before I looked away from my small family, I couldn't help but notice Juliana forcefully clinging to Susanna's leg, fear in her eyes as she looked at Caius. Anger roared inside of me at the sight of my scared little girl, and I crouched, ready to take on Caius if he dared come too close. Aro reached him before he could, however, and grabbed him by the arm. Caius fought against Aro's hold, but the Elder had a firm grip.

"How _dare_ you bring shame to this family? My daughter is not going to marry a _wolf_!"

Caius turned his attention on Aro, furious at being held back.

"Let me go, Aro. She needs to be dealt with."

"Caius, don't be absurd. We're surrounded and outnumbered. There is mutiny among our own Guard. Do this and you'll be killed."

Caius was too far gone to listen, struggling against Aro's hold with all his strength. Aro lost his grip, giving Caius the opportunity to escape. He immediately flew towards his daughter, and I crouched deeper, ready to attack. Suddenly he fell backwards, screaming loudly. I immediately recognized the torture only Jane could inflict. Sure enough, she walked towards him, her eyes narrowed in concentration.

"You arrogant bastard. After everything you've put her through, you still expect her to listen to you?"

Jane's voice was cold, her gaze intense. Caius looked up at her, plainly terrified.

"I served you for so many years, and yet, I never liked you. It gives me great pleasure to finally have a reason to inflict my torture upon you."

She stood over Caius, a wicked smile on her face; she was obviously enjoying this. As Caius' screams grew louder, I couldn't help but look at my little girl. Juliana's hands covered her ears, and Susanna bent down to pick her up, stroking her back in an effort to soothe her. Even Megan looked scared now, half hiding behind Susanna.

"Jane, stop! Please don't do this," Lucy pleaded.

Jane didn't stop, her burning gaze fixed on Caius, as she responded.

"Why not? He deserves it, Lucy, for everything that he's done."

When Jane still didn't let up, Lucy pulled away from Embry. He held onto her, unwilling to let her go, but she pried herself away from him gently.

"Trust me," she whispered, and he reluctantly released her.

Lucy carefully approached Jane, placing her hand on the vampire's arm once she'd reached her.

"It's okay, Jane. Thank you. But you have to let him go now. Please."

I looked on anxiously, unsure of what Jane might do.

"I owe you this. I should've done more for you, been better to you."

Though I'd seen some change in Jane's behaviour lately, her words still shocked me. Jane and I had never been close; in fact, there had been times where I very much disliked the powerful female. Jane was never pleasant, and when she spoke, it was always scathing or even downright hateful. I knew she'd frowned upon the way Demetri and I had hunted in the past as she'd often scolded us for 'playing with our food.' So much had changed in the last few years, and apparently, Jane had not been immune.

She finally looked away from Caius, who instantly stopped screaming and visibly relaxed. He was panting, his eyes closed, as he recovered from Jane's brutal attack.

"You did what you could, Jane. I don't blame you for anything."

Jane looked tormented as she met Lucy's eyes.

"I didn't know how to handle you, Lucy. Everything changed after you were born, and I didn't like it. I took it out on you, and for that, I'm sorry."

I couldn't help but smile a little at the exchange. When Lucy hugged Jane, I glanced at Demetri. He was smiling too, shaking his head. Suddenly, I caught movement beside the embracing girls, and I tensed immediately. Caius rose slowly, half crouching, a look of sheer hatred on his face. Beside me, Demetri had apparently noticed the same thing as he growled low. Time seemed to move in slow-motion as Caius readied himself to attack the two unsuspecting girls. Just as I was ready to lunge at the Elder, a massive roar broke through the clearing, and a giant wolf appeared where Embry had stood only moments before.

"Lucy! _Watch out!_"

Lucy and Jane broke their embrace and stared at the girl who had shouted the warning. At the same time, the wolf leaped at Caius, who was just about to lunge at Lucy. The wolf's teeth wrapped around Caius' throat, and together they plummeted to the floor. Caius screamed, staring up at the wolf in complete terror. Demetri and I didn't hesitate and rushed towards them, each grabbing one of Caius' arms. The wolf's eyes shifted between us for a second before he turned his attention back on Caius. He growled menacingly, the sound vibrating through Caius' body. Demetri and I looked at each other determinedly. There was no turning back now; this was it. As the wolf sank his teeth into Caius' throat, as easy as if he were slicing through butter, Demetri and I pulled at the Elder's arms and ripped them from his torso. The screams stopped abruptly when Caius' head rolled away from his body. I tossed his arm on the ground and looked down at the Elder's broken body, feeling a strange mixture of victory and loss. The death of Caius was the end of an era; everything would be different now.

Demetri and the wolf immediately set out to gather all the pieces so they could be burned. As soon as the wolf moved, I noticed Lucy, her back turned to us, her body trembling. Without thinking, I walked towards her and lay my hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay, Lucy. He won't hurt you anymore."

She turned and flew into my arms, tears streaming down her face. I held her tight, trying to soothe her.

"Embry," she sobbed quietly, obviously worried about her fiancé.

"He's okay. He's a brave man. Very strong too," I responded, remembering the ease with which he'd severed Caius' head from his body.

Lucy shifted, pulling away from me a little and glancing around me. I felt her body relax as soon as she caught sight of Embry.

"What happened?" she asked as she looked up at me anxiously.

"You were distracted, and Caius noticed. He was never one to understand when he'd lost. The moment he tried to lunge at you, Embry phased and attacked him. Demetri and I helped. It was over in seconds."

Her eyes widened in shock.

"Father's dead?"

"Yes, honey, he's dead. We had no choice."

Lucy seemed slightly upset and went quiet, lost in thought. A soft whine snapped her out of her reverie, and we both turned to find the wolf gazing at us. Lucy tore herself away from me and ran to him, leaving me alone. It didn't matter though; this was how it was supposed to be. I had my own family to look after, and she was safe with Embry.

I turned around and ran to Susanna without hesitation. She was holding Juliana, who had her arms wrapped tight around her mother's neck.

"Are you okay?" I asked her, pulling them both against me and kissing Susanna's forehead.

"I am. I was able to shield the girls from most of it, but I'm afraid they still know what's going on," Susanna replied, eyeing me somewhat apprehensively.

Juliana reached out her arms to me, and it was only then that I saw the tears on her cheeks.

"Come here, honey. I'm so sorry," I whispered, feeling an incredible amount of guilt at upsetting my little girl.

She clung to me and sniffled, her wet cheek pressed against my neck.

"Sshh, it's okay, Julie. We'll get out of here soon; I promise."

I turned as I heard Demetri running up to us and was surprised to see Megan dash towards him.

"Daddy," she cried, jumping into his arms. He hugged her close and kissed her hair as she clung to him, obviously also very upset.

"What's going to happen now?" Susanna asked as I put Juliana down.

Demetri carefully set Megan down as well, and she quickly joined Juliana, taking her hand. The two girls stood side by side, looking up at their parents nervously.

"I don't know. There's still Aro," I answered.

"How is he taking all this?" Demetri asked, and we all turned around.

Lucy, Embry, once again in human form, and Carlisle were gathered around the Elder, who sat unmoving, kneeling in front of the fire that was burning Caius' remains.

"It's over, Aro. Go home," Carlisle told him, but Aro didn't respond.

"The children, Carlisle. They can't stay there."

The blonde I knew to be Rosalie stepped forward and looked longingly at Juliana and Megan. Susanna didn't hesitate and lifted her daughter, a low growl escaping her chest. I quickly joined her, wrapping my arm around her waist. Demetri lifted Megan, who eyed Rosalie curiously.

"Touch my daughter, and you're dead," Susanna hissed angrily.

"These children are well cared for. There's no need for you to save them," I added, hugging Susanna close.

"Contrary to what you may think, not all of us are pure evil. My daughter is happy with me," Demetri said.

Megan struggled in his arms, trying to get him to put her back on the ground. Lucy giggled, catching the girl's attention. Megan stared intently at Lucy, who immediately walked towards the girl. I chuckled as I realized Megan was using her power.

"Hi there," Lucy spoke, taking Megan's hand in hers.

"Hello," Megan replied with a wide smile.

"My name is Lucy. What's yours?" she asked, smiling back at the girl.

"Megan," the girl replied, suddenly seeming shy and leaning into her father.

Lucy looked at Demetri, smiling serenely.

"She's beautiful," she told him, and he smiled back at her.

Lucy shifted her gaze towards Susanna and eyed her apprehensively. Susanna stiffened against me as Lucy moved towards us. She glanced at me for a second before extending her hand to Susanna.

"I'm Lucy."

Susanna hesitated before shifting Juliana to her side and taking Lucy's hand.

"Susanna," she replied.

I pulled Susanna closer and looked at Lucy.

"This is Juliana," I told her, caressing my daughter's soft curls.

"She looks like you," she replied, smiling at me.

We all gazed at each other, almost happy, when a voice interrupted us.

"Yeah, however nice this reunion is, can we please concentrate on the old guy over there?"

A man who I hadn't seen before was pointing at Aro, who still sat frozen in the same spot. Lucy turned and walked towards him slowly. I looked at Demetri as he put Megan down. Both of us were on edge, not comfortable with Lucy being that close to Aro. He seemed completely out of it, not even acknowledging the people around him.

"Aro," Lucy tried, but there was no response. "Aro, get up."

He finally seemed to come out of his trance, turning his head to look at her. Lucy gasped when his eyes met hers, and she looked petrified. I glanced at Susanna, who nodded at me.

"Go," she whispered, just as Aro was crawling back up.

"You…you ruined everything," he started, advancing on Lucy, who stumbled back a bit.

Embry pulled her close just as Demetri and I reached them, stopping on either side.

"All my plans, everything I worked so hard for is gone, and it's all your fault," Aro hissed, his eyes filled with hate.

He raised a shaky hand towards Lucy, and I tensed, ready to defend her if needed.

"Aro, no. It's over; accept it. Let us go home now."

We all turned at the sound of Marcus' voice, amazed by his words. Marcus never actively participated, let alone tell Aro what to do.

"Home," Aro replied bitterly, "What's left for me there? She took everything. Caius is dead because of _her_!"

Marcus looked at his brother, and I was amazed at the amount of emotion in his face.

"Caius is dead because of his own stupidity and ignorance. Do not blame the girl; she's innocent," he hissed, fuelling Aro's anger.

"How dare you defend her? Why do you care? You've never cared about anything," he spat, causing Marcus to narrow his eyes at him.

We watched the exchange apprehensively, anxious to see how it would play out.

"I used to, a long time ago. Remember?" Marcus replied, and Aro winced slightly.

All of us were aware of Marcus' history and the mysterious circumstances under which his mate was killed. Didyme was Aro's sister, and Marcus had never recovered from her loss.

"I remember, but she's dead and has been for a long time. Get over it."

I sucked in a sharp breath at Aro's harsh words, wondering how Marcus was going to react. He growled, baring his teeth at Aro when suddenly something happened that distracted all of us.

"Daddy."

Though I'd never heard her voice, I instinctively knew that it was my daughter that had spoken. I turned to her to find her staring at me intently.

"Yes, honey?"

I walked towards her, and Susanna put her on the ground. She ran to me and took my hand.

"I want to talk to Uncle Marcus," she told me, a determined look on her little face.

I glanced towards Marcus, unsure of what was going on. He shrugged and walked over to us.

"No," Aro murmured, looking strangely terrified. "She's just a child. Nothing she has to say can be important."

"Then why do you look so scared, brother?" Marcus replied, looking at Aro over his shoulder before turning his attention on my daughter. He kneeled before her and smiled encouragingly. "Speak, little one."

Juliana looked up at me, suddenly shy and searching for reassurance.

"It's okay, honey. I'm right here. Talk to Marcus," I told her gently.

Aro rushed towards us but didn't get far before he was stopped by two of the Cullen boys. He struggled against their hold as they each gripped one of his arms.

"Release me at once! This is ridiculous. Why are we even listening to the child?"

His voice was desperate as he tried in vain to break free.

"Silence!" Marcus demanded, forcing Aro to be quiet..

Juliana moved towards Marcus, her hand in mine, her fingers clenched tight around it.

"Your friend, the one who died, you loved her," she spoke in her beautiful voice.

Her words shocked me as I realized that she shouldn't know this, not unless this is why Aro was so afraid of her. I actually trembled with anxiety when I considered all the things my innocent little girl could've seen when she'd stolen Aro's power.

"Yes, I did," Marcus replied, effectively pulling me from my thoughts. "How do you know about her?"

"I saw her in his mind," she answered his question, confirming my suspicions.

All of us stared at Aro, who looked at Juliana, seeming completely deranged.

"What did you see?" Marcus asked, and I listened carefully, needing to know myself.

"He didn't want you to leave. He needed you to stay. So he killed her."

I froze at her words, my mind unable to grasp the words my baby girl had just spoken. My daughter had been a witness to Aro killing his own sister. I felt impossibly sick even thinking about it. My hatred towards Aro reached a frightening level, and for a moment, I considered killing him right then and there. However, that would make me no better than the twisted Elder. Also, this wasn't my battle to fight. Marcus rose slowly, an oddly blank look on his face.

"Thank you," he whispered to Juliana before turning to face Aro.

"All this time, you forced me to stay, knowing how unhappy I was, knowing you were responsible for this?"

Marcus' voice was eerily controlled as he addressed Aro.

"Lies, all lies! She's just a little girl! How can you believe her over me? I'm your brother!" Aro responded, sounding completely desperate. My already violent anger roared once more at hearing him speak about Juliana that way. Aro struggled to break free from his captors, but they held on tight, keeping him in place.

"Lies, Aro? What would she have to gain by lying to me? As you said, she's just a little girl."

Marcus finally stopped, only inches before Aro, towering over his brother threateningly.

"You, on the other hand, had everything to gain by murdering Didyme. I know you weren't happy about us wanting to leave. However, never in a million years would I have thought you capable of murdering your own sister."

"I'm not; I didn't, I swear!" Aro shouted frantically.

"Didyme was my life, and you killed her. You took everything from me and then made me suffer over it for centuries. You are not my brother. You are nothing to me. You will leave Volterra and never come back. Your son will never know who you are."

I stared at Marcus in amazement, wondering how he could just walk away from this. There was no way he could just keep Aro out of Volterra or away from Duilio. He had to know that, but yet, he was going to allow Aro to walk away. Marcus turned his back on his brother while the two Cullen boys held onto Aro, looking slightly unsure what to do. As Marcus started walking away, Aro shouted after him.

"I did it for the family. The Volturi name used to mean something! She changed you, made you weak. She was holding you back; don't you see? I had to do it! For us!"

There was complete and utter silence as we watched Marcus turn back to Aro, looking completely sickened.

"She was weak; she would've only slowed you down. I did it for the greater good!"

Marcus lunged at Aro and grabbed his throat, forcing the two Cullen boys to release him. I held my breath, grabbing Juliana and pressing her face against my chest. She squeezed her eyes shut as if she knew what was coming.

"Screw the greater good," Marcus hissed before violently pushing Aro from him, making the Elder land in the flames that had already burned his brother. His anguished cry filled the air, and Juliana pressed herself tighter against me. I covered her ears and hugged her as close as I could.

Eventually, the screaming stopped, and everyone relaxed. I put my hand under Juliana's chin and forced her to look at me.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" I asked her.

"Can we go home now, Daddy?"

"Yes, honey," I replied, kissing her forehead. "Yes, we can."

I put her down, and she immediately ran towards Susanna. I glanced around me, taking in the different scenes. I noticed Marcus talking to Carlisle, who was flanked by one of his sons and the man I'd seen earlier. I figured he must be the Alpha of the wolf-pack; he had an air of authority about him. I looked on, noticing Demetri trying to comfort Renata, who seemed to be taking Aro's demise as a personal failure. I chuckled as she shrugged Demetri's arm off her shoulder and started yelling at him. I let my eyes wander again, finding Lucy. She and Embry were locked in a passionate embrace. I smiled at her blatant display of happiness and quickly averted my eyes to find my own family.

Susanna smiled at me as I rushed over to her and Juliana. I lifted my daughter again, pressing my lips against her soft curls once more. Juliana was free now; she wouldn't have to live under Aro and Caius' reign. My heart soared with happiness as I realized we were _all_ free. I put my arm around Susanna's waist and pulled her to me. She leaned in, caressing my back. We gazed at each other before I moved in and kissed her tenderly.

"What are we going to do now?" Susanna asked when we finally broke our embrace.

"Whatever we want," I replied.

She sighed contently as she snuggled into my side.

"I want to go home," she stated, and I nodded.

"Then that's where we'll go."

We started walking away from the clearing, away from everyone else. I had everything I needed right here with me; there was nothing more to wish for. I'd found my own happily ever after.

* * *

**Seems pretty final, huh...Yeah, that's because it is! I finished the chapter and thought..huh..okay..so, that's it. I thought there would be at least one more. Aaaaaaaaanywayz, no fear, there will be an epilogue, right after the next chapter of Fallen Princess. I promise we'll see Felix and Susanna again one more time. **

**Thank you go to:**

**Jkane180, the beta - I wanna see you in a beermaid uniform...just sayin...**

**Megsly - even tough girls get scared sometimes ;-)  
**


	15. Epilogue: Home at Last

**This is it, the last chapter. Thank you to everyone that supported me, reviewed me, pimped me and loved me. You've made this journey worth it. **

**Thank you, Felix. I'll miss being in you head :-(  
**

* * *

Demetri and I stood before Marcus to fill him in on what had happened during our latest trip. Both of us were anxious to get back to our loved ones.

"We were able to talk the Scandinavians down without too much of a fight, Master. They agreed to our terms in the end."

I looked at Marcus, who sat behind the desk in the office that he currently employed. The Royal room was no longer in use; now only a silent testament to our darker past. Marcus didn't care much for ceremonies and didn't want to be revered. He ruled without a doubt, but his rule was fair and justified. Volterra had become different place.

"Thank you, Felix. You and Demetri may go. Please bring Susanna and the children to my chamber this evening. I have something to share with you."

Marcus dismissed us with a simple nod before he turned back to the papers on his desk. He seemed content with his role as leader of the new vampire world. Somehow it had given him a sense of purpose and a happier outlook on his existence. Though I doubted he would ever be fully happy, he at least seemed to have accepted his fate.

Demetri and I walked towards our rooms. We'd been gone for only a few weeks this time, considerably shorter than our previous travels. The last couple of years had been draining. The moment the news of Aro and Caius' demise spread, rebellions rose up everywhere. Nobody had counted on Marcus, however. He'd quickly dispatched us around the world to make sure everyone understood that the Volturi had not died with the two Elders. It had taken us three years, and even a few casualties, but eventually, they'd all gotten the message.

The Guard was no longer an army of foot-soldiers doing whatever their leaders commanded. Marcus had called a meeting the moment we'd come back from Germany and gave us all the choice to either stay or go. A few vampires left; Santiago, for instance, was currently living in his native South America, where he'd taken on a mate. Renata also left, but she came back after only a few months. She felt she'd lost her sense of purpose after Aro died and nearly begged Marcus to take her on as his bodyguard. He graciously accepted, and Renata was happy to serve him. Jane and Alec never even considered leaving; Volterra was their home as they'd basically grown up here, having been brought in as young as they were.

We'd also lost Sulpicia. The moment we arrived back from Germany without her husband, she threw herself into the incinerator that we used to dispose the evidence of our more gruesome acts. It didn't come as a surprise, we all knew she was nothing without Aro, and, apart from Marcus, no one really mourned her death. It was only a week after her demise that some of the Cullens paid us a visit. Among them was Rosalie and, remembering her reaction to the girls in that clearing, I had a good idea as to why they were here. I was quickly proven right; they'd come to try and persuade us to adopt Dominicus and Duilio.

I had to admit, I wasn't opposed to the idea. The Cullens obviously had the means to look after them, and it was apparent that Rosalie and her mate would do everything to ensure that the boys were safe and cared for. Susanna resisted the longest. She took Rosalie's arrival personally and felt her abilities as a mother were being questioned. In the end, she relented, albeit reluctantly, and they left with the Cullens. Juliana cried for days, scaring both me and Susanna. We never realized how much she cared for them. Eventually she accepted their absence, though she would still get upset every time she'd speak to them on the phone.

Demetri took to his new role as father with fervour. Having accepted the fact that the next few years were dedicated to singlehandedly raising Megan, he was determined to do the best job possible. She didn't make it easy for him, often throwing temper tantrums of epic proportions if he didn't give her what she wanted. Megan and Juliana were as close as sisters, and I guess in a way they were. I was happy that they were so close and that they had the opportunity to grow up together. It made me realize even more how lonely Lucy must've been throughout her childhood.

Every now and again, I would speak to Lucy. We would talk about our lives, and she was eager to know everything about the rebellions. I knew she was anxious that one of us would get hurt, but I kept reassuring her that there was nothing to worry about. Lucy and her new husband were enjoying their married life. She sent me pictures of her new home, and though their house looked small, she appeared happier than I'd ever seen her. Embry was now running a successful garage with one of his friends, while Lucy had started teaching history at the local school. Her career choice surprised me, but she seemed to be enjoying it a lot. She'd mentioned at some point that my lessons on the subject had been the inspiration behind her choice to teach, which made me feel oddly proud. Though I missed her, we were both where we were supposed to be.

Susanna and I got married about six months after the events in Germany. It was a quick ceremony, in between two trips, but neither of us cared. We were now husband and wife, and that was all that mattered to us. There was no honeymoon, seeing as I had to leave for Mongolia the next day. That had been a particularly hard uprising to fight, and it took me three whole months before I would see my new bride again. The separation from my family had been hard on me, but I was doing it for them. Once there was peace, we would be able to enjoy eternity together.

"What do you think Marcus wants?" Demetri asked, his eyebrows raised.

"I have no idea. I was kind of hoping we could stay put for a while. I'm tired of travelling," I replied.

"Me too. I really thought we were finished after this one. I hope there aren't more vampires out there that think they can overthrow us. It's been three years; they should know better by now."

I grunted in approval, feeling a bit put out about the possibility of having to leave again so soon. In the distance, I heard a door open and chuckled when I heard Megan's voice.

"He's here! Daddy's back!"

Demetri's little girl came bounding around the corner at frightening speed and jumped into her father's arms. I hardly had time to smile at their reunion since my own little girl was quick to follow. I knelt and lifted her, already noticing the many changes to her appearance. She was taller, and her hair was longer, reaching down to her waist. At only three years old, she could easily pass for seven. I hated leaving Juliana for such a long time. I'd already missed so much of her growing up. I pressed my cheek against her hair, closing my eyes for a moment to savour the closeness of her warm little body. The delicious scent of honey hit me, and I opened my eyes to find Susanna approaching us, a wide smile on her face.

"Hi there," she spoke softly. The sound of her beautiful voice lifted every bit of tension that had built up in my body, and when she wrapped her arms around my waist, I knew I was home.

"I missed you so much, Suzy," I whispered into her hair.

"I missed you too. Welcome back, Felix," she responded, her words muffled against my chest.

"Are you staying now, Daddy?" Juliana lifted her face and looked at me anxiously. I cringed slightly. I wanted to reassure her, but I didn't know what Marcus had planned for us.

"I don't know, honey. We'll have to wait and see."

"I thought this was the last of the rebellions?" Susanna asked, looking worried.

"So did I, but Marcus wants to see us tonight. All of us."

Susanna sighed deeply while Juliana burrowed closer into my chest. These past years had been hard on all of us.

"Did you bring me anything nice, Daddy?" Megan asked Demetri.

"Not this time, Meg. There was no time for that. Besides, I've already brought you so many things, and you hardly look at them."

Megan always demanded gifts from wherever we travelled. It was a hard promise to keep since we rarely had the opportunity to go to shops amidst all the fighting, and sometimes we were just too far out of civilization.

"But Daddy, you promised," Megan sulked, causing us all to laugh.

"I know, sweetheart, but there was no time. Can't you just be happy that we're back?" Demetri begged his now pouting daughter. She fought out of his grasp and, eventually, he had to put her down.

"When is Marcus expecting us?" Susanna asked me.

"Tonight. He said he wanted to see all of us, including the children," I responded before kissing her furrowed brow.

"Well, that's new. I wonder what he's up to," she replied.

"I guess we'll have to wait to find out," Demetri said while trying to stop Megan from going through his bag.

"I guess we will," I whispered, not entirely sure if I wanted to know.

o-O-o

"Thank you for joining me," Marcus said when we arrived in his chamber that night.

His room was large and decorated with antiques and trinkets that he'd collected throughout the centuries of his existence. It was an eclectic mix of riches, and somehow it suited him.

"You're probably wondering why I called you here. Let me start by saying that this isn't about business. There are no new rebellions to speak of. Everything seems to have finally calmed down."

I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Felix, Demetri, I owe you a lot," Marcus continued. "You stood by me and helped rebuild the Volturi when it was threatening to crumble without Aro and Caius. It took you away from your families, and, for that, I'm sorry. I wanted to try and do something nice for you, to show you how much I appreciate your efforts."

He turned and picked up what appeared to be a stack of photos from his desk. He handed them to Susanna, who looked at them curiously.

"What is this?" she asked Marcus.

"That is your island. I purchased it a while back with the intention of giving it to you when the time was right."

Marcus looked at us expectantly as we processed this news.

"You're giving us an island?" Demetri eventually asked, his voice shocked.

"Yes," Marcus nodded. "Completely secluded of course. No one lives there, and there are no other islands close. This way you'll all have a place to escape to. You can do as you like without the risk of exposure."

"When can we leave?" Susanna asked eagerly.

"As soon as you like," Marcus replied, smiling at her enthusiasm.

"Can we leave tomorrow?" she asked me.

"Sure," I replied. The idea of spending some time on a sunny island with Susanna and Juliana made me impossibly happy.

"I'm going to pack. Juliana, Megan, come with me please."

Susanna grabbed the girls' hands and quickly left the room. We could hear them chatting excitedly in the hallway. I couldn't stop smiling, but Demetri looked a bit uncomfortable.

"Felix," he started, looking at the floor, "would you mind if I stayed behind just this once?"

I eyed him with curiosity, wondering why he would forgo any opportunity to spend some time in the sun.

"It's just…well…ever since Megan was born, I haven't had the opportunity to be alone. You know, a chance to meet with friends."

Demetri stared at me intently, and I snorted when I finally understood what he was trying to say.

"I take it you want us to bring Megan along?"

"It's only fair. Consider it payback," he smirked.

I laughed and shook my head, knowing he was right. He'd always taken care of Juliana whenever Susanna and I needed time alone. It was time I returned the favour.

Marcus looked between us and smiled.

"I can ask Heidi to join you, Felix. That way she can look after the girls should the need arise," the Elder said gently.

"Do you think she'd mind?" I asked tentatively. I didn't want Heidi to feel pressured.

"Not at all. She'd love to do it. I'll go ask her now. You go and join your wife."

I didn't hesitate at all but ran back to my room. I couldn't wait to spend some time in the sun with my family.

o-O-o

We were packed and ready to go, already on our way out of the castle, when my phone rang. One glance at the display told me it was Lucy.

"I'm sorry; I have to take this. I'll meet you outside," I told Susanna.

She nodded and followed Heidi down the hall. Once they were out of sight, I pressed the button to answer.

"Hello, Lucy."

"Hi, Felix," she replied.

"How are you?" I asked, getting the formalities out of the way.

"Good. I'm on a break from school right now because of the summer holidays. Embry's working hard. They're actually thinking of expanding into Forks."

"That's great, Lucy."

I could tell she was keeping something from me; she sounded very nervous.

"Yeah…" She was obviously stalling.

"What is it, Lucy? I know there's something you're not telling me."

It was quiet for a few moments before I heard her suck in a deep breath.

"Felix, I'm pregnant."

Now it was my turn to go silent as I processed her words. It took me a while to find my voice again and respond.

"Really, Lucy? Congratulations! How far along are you? Is everything okay?"

She laughed at my barrage of questions, sounding relieved.

"Yes, everything is fine. I'm about two months in now. Carlisle is monitoring every step, so there's no need to worry. I seem to be progressing slightly faster than a normal pregnancy, but slower than a human carrying a hybrid."

Lucy babbled on, obviously happy now that the secret was out. I didn't hear half of what she was saying as I was still in shock at the fact that she was going to have a baby. It had only been ten short years since she herself was born, and now she was putting another life onto the planet. It seemed unfathomable but wonderful at the same time. I knew she'd make a wonderful mother.

She asked about Juliana and Megan and, in turn, told me about Duilio and Nicky. I told her about the trip I was about to take, and she was happy for me that life seemed to have quieted down somewhat.

"Okay, I'll let you get on your way then," she said eventually, sounding a little sad.

"I miss you, Lucy. Please come and visit soon," I told her, as I did every time I spoke to her.

"I promise I will. After the baby is born," she replied.

"I love you, Lucy."

"I love you too, Felix."

With that, she hung up, and I was quick to join my family in the waiting car.

o-O-o

The sun shone brightly on my face as I lay back in the sand. It felt weird to be exposed like this, but, since there was no one here, I was trying to enjoy it. It had been so long since I felt the warmth of the earth against my bare skin. I closed my eyes, enjoying the rays that were heating my cold face.

"Daddy, Mommy, look! We found a starfish!"

I sat up at the same time Susanna did and watched our daughter run up to us. Megan followed close behind her.

"See?" she said, holding out her hand to me. I glanced down at the little star-shaped creature on her palm and smiled.

"That's pretty, Julie. You should go and put it back though; it can't survive long without the water," I replied.

She gave me an exasperated look.

"I know, Daddy. I was just showing it to you. We'll go take it back now. Come on, Meg."

Together they ran back to the shoreline, and I watched as they carefully placed the tiny creature back into the ocean. I couldn't help but smile at their obvious joy.

Beside me, Susanna sighed contently and lay back down, her eyes once again closed. I moved over her and placed a tender kiss on her nose. The sun had warmed her skin slightly, and it felt nice against my lips. She smiled and opened her eyes.

"This place is so perfect, isn't it?" she spoke softly.

"It really is," I responded, laying back down and pulling her against me.

Susanna sat up abruptly, her eyes glazed. I gave an exasperated sigh and looked towards the two little girls by the shoreline.

"Megan, remember what we said about using your power on people? If you need Susanna, you can just come and ask."

Juliana nudged Megan, and I distinctly heard her whisper 'told you.' Susanna shook her head, trying to clear it, as the two girls walked towards us.

"We're hungry," Megan said, pouting. Beside her, Juliana nodded in agreement.

Reluctantly, we got up and made our way over to the large house that had been built specifically for us. Heidi was out on the deck, also enjoying the sunshine and reading one of her many books. I was still surprised that she'd been willing to join us, but she'd assured us she needed the break as well. She'd been very accommodating, looking after the girls as they slept at night while Susanna and I made the most of those free hours.

"Dinner time?" she asked while putting her book down beside her.

I smiled and nodded at her as she followed us in. The house was ridiculously large considering how small our group was, but I guessed Marcus wanted to make sure there was a place for all of us. The interior was light and airy, the colours matching the world outside. The girls each had a large room up the stairs, but they chose to sleep in the same bed. They were enjoying themselves a lot, possibly even more than we were, and I was thankful to Marcus for giving us the opportunity to come here.

Susanna prepared the food for the girls while Heidi and I tried to keep them busy. They were sorting through the big pile of shells they'd collected, separating the ones they wanted to keep from the ones they would eventually take back to the beach. Juliana's curls were messy, and sand was clinging to her skin.

"Julie, I think you should wash up before dinner," I told her.

"I'll take her. Megan, you could use a bath too. Come on, girls."

Heidi coerced them to the upstairs bathroom while I joined my wife in the kitchen. Strange and unfamiliar smells hit my nose, making me grimace in disgust.

"I'll never get used to human food," I said, wrapping my arms around Susanna and nuzzling her neck.

"Good thing you don't have to eat it then," she smirked, making a lazy attempt at pushing me away.

Susanna giggled when I pressed my lips against the sensitive spot behind her ear and leaned into me when I ran my tongue down her neck.

"Felix, the children…" she whispered, her desire barely hidden.

"Once we've put them to bed, I think we should go visit that little lagoon again. It's been a while," I spoke softly while kissing her temple.

My hands roamed up and brushed her nipples. A small moan escaped her, and her head fell back against my shoulder.

"I would really like that," she answered eventually, pressing her back against me.

I held Susanna close, caressing her as she finished preparing the food. We quickly separated when we heard the girls coming back down the stairs.

"Felix, can I call Daddy after dinner?" Megan asked me.

"Sure you can, honey," I replied, setting the plates on the overly large dinner table.

"Good! I want to tell him about the starfish and the shells."

Megan babbled continuously throughout dinner. Juliana was quiet, as usual, and had almost fallen asleep by the time Megan finally cleared her plate. I lifted her in my arms, and she snuggled against me, sighing contently.

After Megan spoke to Demetri, who seemed to making the most of his time alone, the girls went upstairs, where we put them to bed. They fell asleep almost instantly, a side effect of being outside in the sun all day.

"I love you, Mommy and Daddy," Juliana whispered, her eyes already closed.

"I love you too, sweetheart," I responded, kissing her forehead. We gazed at them for a little while before making our way downstairs. Heidi sat on the couch and lazily flipped through the channels on the TV, looking for something to keep her occupied.

"Enjoy your quiet time," she said, winking at us both. "If you don't mind, I want to take a trip to the mainland when you come back. I need to feed."

"No problem, Heidi. Thanks again," I answered.

"Don't mention it," she replied with a smile.

Susanna tugged at my arm impatiently, and we quickly exited the house, while Heidi chuckled and told us to 'have fun.' We ran straight through the thick bushes towards the middle of the island. A couple of nights ago, we'd discovered a stunning lagoon that was completely obscured from view. We'd spent a wonderful night there, and we'd been dying to go back ever since. We quickly reached our destination, and I was shocked but delighted to see Susanna tear off her clothes before quickly diving into the water. I followed her example and joined her; the warm water felt amazing on my cold skin.

When I resurfaced, I found Susanna standing before me, her breasts just above the waterline. The pale light of the moon reflected off the surface, casting her in a silvery glow. Beads of water were dripping from her hair down her body. She looked stunning and, for a moment, I was overwhelmed by my love for her. I was brought out of my reverie when she slowly moved towards me and pressed her body against mine.

"Make love to me, Felix," she whispered, her sweet breath washing over my face, intoxicating me.

I responded by pressing my lips to hers, kissing her passionately. My hands roamed her smooth skin beneath the surface of the water, and I hitched up her leg. I moved my hand to her ass and squeezed it firmly, pulling her to me. Susanna moaned against my mouth and wrapped her legs around me, bringing us closer together. I tugged her hair and pulled her head back, allowing me to run my tongue over the skin of her neck. I bit down gently, just where her pulse point should've been, and I grinned when she whimpered as my teeth pierced her skin.

"Felix," she hissed, her fingers digging deep into my arms.

I slowly pulled away, licking the puncture marks that were quickly sealing themselves, leaving her skin flawless once again.

"I love it when you do that," she said, her voice no more than a breathy whisper.

I moaned in response and quickly pushed her towards the edge of the lake, where I lifted her out of the water and sat her onto a rocky edge. She leaned back and smirked as she spread her legs. Her wet skin glistened in the moonlight as little droplets of water slid down her thighs. I leaned in and followed their path with my tongue, working my way up from the inside of her knee to the soft flesh of her sex. Susanna sighed deeply, her thighs quivering, when I gently kissed her swollen lips. She placed her legs over my shoulders and pulled me closer to her.

Susanna moaned when my tongue found her most sensitive spot, and she lay back on the flat surface of the rock. Her hands wound themselves into my hair as her breathing sped up, and her soft moans turned into cries of pleasure. My cock twitched beneath the surface of the water when her thighs locked around my head. I literally ached to bury myself inside of her.

"Felix!" Susanna screamed out as she reached her climax.

I kept kissing and licking her, slowing my movements as she came down from her orgasm. Susanna quickly sat up and pushed me back. Gracefully, she slid into the water and moved towards me. I was aroused to the point of pain and didn't want to wait one second longer. Susanna seemed to have other plans however, as she flashed me a devious smile before she swiftly disappeared under the water. The surface barely even rippled as I looked around to see where she'd gone. A soft giggle broke through the silent night, and I turned to find her standing underneath the small waterfall.

"Come and get me," she beckoned.

She didn't need to ask me twice. I dove forward and swam to her as quickly as I could. The moment I reached her, she jumped on me, wrapping her legs around my waist. I pushed us back, through the curtain of water, until I had her pressed against the wall. Without hesitation, I pushed myself inside of her, causing us both to moan loudly. Susanna's head fell onto my shoulder, and her arms wrapped around me. Her little sighs and whimpers were barely audible above the loud noise of the waterfall, but yet it was all I could hear.

"Suzy," I whispered reverently.

She responded with a loud moan, and her head snapped up. Our eyes locked, and, as I moved inside of her, I was suddenly reminded of the first time we did this. I'd loved her then, I knew that now, and I wished I'd realized it sooner.

We moved slowly, neither of us in a hurry since there was no need; we had an eternity to enjoy each other. There was a distinct orange glow in the sky when we finally collapsed against each other. Susanna's breath came in small gasps, and I was panting against her chest. Her wet hair tickled my cheek as she leaned in to kiss my forehead. I gently pried her legs from around my waist and set her down on the ground. She leaned into my chest and sighed happily.

"Will it always be like this, Felix?"

"Forever," I responded with certainty.

We embraced just a little while longer before the rays of the sun were starting to seep through the waterfall.

"We should go back to the house. Julie will wake up soon," Susanna said.

"Let's go," I replied, releasing her.

I took her hand as we slowly made our way back. The prospect of another sunny day spent in the company of my wife and daughter filled me with endless joy. Life was good, and I was planning on enjoying every second of it.

* * *

**The End.**

**Now, on to the epilogue of Fallen Princess!**

**Thank you:**

**Jkane180 - My comma-h00r. ILY**

**My pre-readers: Megsly, Leanne Golightly and SusanAshlea. **


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